Macroprolactin: what is it and what is its importance?

International Journal of Clinical Practice
H Sadideen, R Swaminathan

Abstract

Monomeric prolactin (PRL) of molecular weight 23 kDa constitutes up to 95% of adult serum PRL. Macroprolactin is a large antigen-antibody complex of molecular weight greater than 100 kDa and constitutes less than 1% of circulating PRL. Thus, in most cases, hyperprolactinaemia is usually a result of high levels of monomeric PRL, which may be due to excess production as with a prolactinoma or due to disinhibition by compression of the pituitary stalk. Nevertheless, it must be noted that macroprolactinaemia may be a cause of hyperprolactinaemia in some individuals, which may have no association with any pathology. The presence of macroprolactin should always be suspected when a patient's clinical history and/or radiological data are incompatible with his/her PRL value. Thus, it may be useful to screen all patients with high sera PRL levels in order to prevent unnecessary investigations into the cause for hyperprolactinaemia. This has recently been facilitated with the advent of simple laboratory tests such as the polyethyleneglycol precipitation method, although gel filtration chromatography remains the gold standard. It is hoped that macroprolactinaemia is included in the differential diagnosis of hyperprolactinaemia.

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Citations

Oct 21, 2010·Endocrine·Inan AnaforogluNilgun Guvener Demirag
Apr 30, 2011·The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences·Murat CanGorkem Mungan
Jun 20, 2007·European Journal of Clinical Investigation·F DonadioA G Lania
Jun 19, 2010·Orvosi hetilap·Gergely LakatosKároly Rácz
Mar 23, 2012·Analytical Chemistry·Alexander N KudryavtsevLudmila A Frank
Jan 7, 2017·Clinical Pediatrics·Timothy F Fernandez, Ambika P Ashraf
Nov 12, 2020·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Noor Azlin Azraini Che SohAnis Kausar Ghazali
May 10, 2012·Annals of Clinical Biochemistry·Roanna GeorgeRoberta Goodall

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