High plasma proopiomelanocortin in aggressive adrenocorticotropin-secreting tumors

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
M L Raffin-SansonX Bertagna

Abstract

A specific propiomelanocortin (POMC) immunoradiometric assay was developed using antibodies directed against ACTH and beta-endorphin (beta end). Partially purified standard POMC was prepared from the human small cell lung carcinoma cell line DMS-79 culture medium. Ten units (U) POMC had the same displacement ability as one pg beta end in a C-terminal beta end radioimmunoassay and thus were close if not equal to 10 pg POMC. This POMC assay was used to investigate patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome. Plasma POMC was undetectable (< 60 U/mL) in 17 normal controls and in 4 patients with Addison's disease (concomitant ACTH plasma levels between 362 and 1058 pg/mL). Forty-two patients with Cushing's disease were studied, either before (n = 25) or after (n = 17) bilateral adrenalectomy: 7 patients with highly invasive macroadenomas had high POMC plasma levels, between 240 and 4200 U/ml (concomitant ACTH plasma levels between 77 and 5730 pg/mL); 35 patients, including one with an invasive macroadenoma, had undetectable POMC plasma levels (concomitant ACTH plasma levels between 31 and 2820 pg/mL). Among 20 patients with histologically proven ectopic ACTH syndrome, 16 had high POMC plasma levels, between 80 and 8000 U/mL (con...Continue Reading

Citations

Nov 18, 2003·The Journal of Clinical Investigation·Robert S JacksonStephen O'Rahilly
Apr 1, 1997·Journal of Endocrinological Investigation·B LormeauJ R Attali
Jun 15, 2010·Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders·Krystallenia I Alexandraki, Ashley B Grossman
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Apr 12, 2012·Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine·G BenchekrounD Rosenberg
Mar 8, 2014·Clinical Endocrinology·Laure CazabatStéphan Gaillard

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Addison's disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency and hypocortisolism, is a long-term endocrine disorder in which the adrenal glands do not produce enough steroid hormones. Discover the latest research on Addison's disease here.