Opioid and tachykinin neuropeptides in prolactin-secreting human pituitary adenomas.
Two opioid neuropeptides, methionine enkephalin (ME) and beta-endorphin (BE), and one tachykinin neuropeptide, substance P (SP), were quantified in 10 prolactin (PRL)-secreting human pituitary adenomas and in 10 control human pituitaries. Immunohistochemical techniques provided appropriate staining for PRL. Reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) was used to purify these three neuropeptides before their analysis, radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used for the quantification of SP-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI), and liquid secondary-ion mass spectrometry (LSIMS) was used for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of ME and a tryptic peptide of BE. This study shows that, for 90% of the cases studied here (excluding one hypothyroidism case), the tachykinin A neuropeptide SP-LI level is decreased, the POMC peptide BE level is not altered, and the proenkephalin A neuropeptide ME level is increased in these PRL-secreting tumors.
Zhu
X
X
Charles B. Stout Neuroscience Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38163, USA.
Robertson
J T
JT
Sacks
H S
HS
Dohan
F C
FC
Tseng
J L
JL
Desiderio
D M
DM
D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000378:metabolism; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism; D015320:Tachykinins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D004745:Enkephalins; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D011498:Protein Precursors; D015320:Tachykinins; C044206:preprotachykinin; C029992:proenkephalin; D013373:Substance P; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D011388:Prolactin