title: Protirelin (thyrotropin-releasing hormone) in thyroid gland: possible involvement in regulation of thyroid status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the presence of the hypothalamic hormone protirelin (thyrotropin-releasing hormone, TRH) in human thyroid and to investigate whether the concentration of this peptide in the thyroid gland is sensitive to thyroid status.
  
  
  METHODS
  A procedure has been developed for the determination of TRH in the thyroid gland, distinct from TRH-like peptides which also react with TRH-antibody.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Human thyroid was shown to contain both authentic TRH and TRH-like peptides, a similar pattern was seen in a range of animal thyroids. The concentrations of TRH in non-active goiter thyroids were substantial (41.6-248 pmol.g-1); in contrast the thyroids from hyperthyroid patients contained very little TRH (0.01-2.52 pmol.g-1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The physiologic role of TRH in the thyroid is not known but the large difference between the concentrations of this hormone in non-active and hyperactive thyroids suggests that thyroidal TRH may be involved in the regulation of thyroid status.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: del Rio-Garcia
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wallnöfer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gogl
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Simma
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Embacher
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kreil
mesh_terms: D006042:Goiter / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000378:metabolism*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000378:metabolism; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine