A role for growth hormone and prolactin in leukaemia and lymphoma?
Growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) quality as lymphohaemopoietic growth and differentiation factors, and so does insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, which mediates many of GH activities. Although there is only limited evidence that endocrine, paracrine or autocrine GH or PRL play a role in human leukaemia and lymphoma, the expression of these factors or their receptors may have diagnostic or therapeutic implications. Indeed, the participation of GH, PRL or IGF-I in the development or progression of certain haematological malignancies or to the antitumour immune response has been documented. Examples discussed in this review include a rat lymphoma in which the PRL receptor acts as an oncogene; the rat Nb2 lymphoma, which is dependent on PRL for growth; and experiments showing that PRL stimulates natural killer cell activity and the development of lymphokine-activated killer cells.
Hooghe
R
R
Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, Free University of Brussels (VUB), Belgium. ezhooghe@farc.vub.ac.be
Merchav
S
S
Gaidano
G
G
Naessens
F
F
Matera
L
L
D000818:Animals; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin / Q000502:physiology; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D011981:Receptors, Prolactin; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone