title: In vitro release of activin A from human normal and pathological thyroid tissues.
abstract: Activin A is a dimeric glycoprotein belonging to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily characterized by the ability to affect FSH secretion. Activin A was originally indicated as a gonadal product but the expression of activin A has been successively identified in several different tissues, including the thyroid gland. The aim of this study was to evaluate the release of activin A from human normal and pathological thyroid tissues in culture. Activin A concentration was evaluated in media obtained from primary culture of perinodular normal tissues (no.=2), hyperplastic hyperfunctioning thyroid tissues due to Graves' disease (no.=3) and autonomous thyroid adenomas (no.=3). Detectable levels of activin A were found in the incubation media from all tissues, without significant differences between normal and pathological samples. We conclude that activin A is secreted by follicle thyroid cells in normal and pathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrine Sciences, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Morpurgo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corsi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Corbetta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vicentini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spada
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C422405:activin A; D028341:Activins; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits