title: Hyperprolactinaemia and prolactin binding in benign intracranial tumours.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Meningiomas have been found to have receptors for several hormones, such as oestrogen, progesterone, somatostatin, dopamine and recently also for prolactin.
  
  
  METHODS
  To investigate any possible role of prolactin in the growth of those tumours we detected the presence of prolactin-receptors (PRL-R) in 22 meningiomas and we correlated these data with PRL serum levels in patients before surgery. We also studied 13 patients with schwannomas and 7 with other cerebral tumours (4 glioblastomas, 2 ependymomas and 1 astrocytoma).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased prolactin binding was present in 10 (45.4 percent;) meningiomas, 9 (69.2 percent;) schwannomas and in the patient with astrocytoma. The presence of high PRL levels was present in 6 (27.2 percent;) patients with meningiomas, 8 (61.5 percent;) with schwannomas and in 3 (42.8 percent;) with other tumours. No direct correlation was present between serum PRL levels and PRL binding in all groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion we confirmed the presence of PRL receptors in patients with meningiomas and we have also shown the presence of PRL receptors also in schwannomas. Moreover increased serum PRL were shown in some patients with different tumours of nervous tissue before surgery. Our data could suggest that PRL might have a role in the growth of meningiomas and schwannomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ciccarelli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Razzore
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gaia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Todaro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ghè
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camanni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muccioli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faccani
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lanotte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000502:physiology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011981:Receptors, Prolactin; D011388:Prolactin