OBJECTIVES To determine whether hormonal dysfunction involving the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, prolactin (PRL) secretion, and sex hormone status contribute to development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS 11 patients with SLE and 9 healthy controls were tested for their total anterior pituitary gland reserve by simultaneous injection of corticotropin-, growth hormo...

The placenta of mammals is a very adaptable organ that accomplishes many critical functions necessary for the well-being of the host and developing fetus. For example, the placenta serves as an attachment site to secure the developing fetus to the uterus, and it transports nutrients from the maternal to the fetal compartment. During the evolution of viviparity, the placenta has assumed various ...

Thyroid hormone resistance (THR) is a rare syndrome of reduced end organ sensitivity. Patients with THR have elevated serum free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), but normal or slightly elevated serum thyrotropin values. The characteristic clinical feature is goitre without symptoms and metabolic consequences of thyroid hormone excess. THR can be classified on the basis of tissue re...

Biologically active peptides and neurotransmitter substances were added to anterior pituitary cell cultures to examine the presence of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)-like activity. Hypothalamic extract (HE) induced significant dose-related increase of ACTH, and the lowest effective dose was 0.01 HE/ml. Other tested substances including luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, thyrotropin re...

A 60 year old man with panhypopituitarism due to a large meningioma and prolonged and exaggerated thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) responses is described. Initial investigations showed a subnormal urinary free cortisol concentration, a low serum cortisol taken at 0900 hours, and a low free T4 concentration. The TSH was towards the upper end of the normal range. Subsequently pituitary function ...

To identify preferentially expressed genes in the central endocrine organs of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, we generated transcriptome-wide mRNA profiles of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and parietal cortex in male mice (12-15 weeks old) using serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE). Total counts of SAGE tags for the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and parietal cortex were 165824,...

Dopamine and somatostatin inhibit release of pituitary prolactin and growth hormone ( G H ) respectively. In some species this inhibition is accompanied by lowering of cyclic A M P levels. Thus, in rat anterior pituitary membranes, dopamine can inhibit vasoactive intestinal peptidcstimulated adenylate cyclase activity 11 I and somatostatin can inhibit GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)-stimulated aden...

Growth hormone (GH) is a multifunctional hormone produced in the anterior pituitary that promotes postnatal growth of skeletal and soft tissues. GH secretion and release are complex phenomena depending on several intrinsic and extrinsic factors modulating the release of two hypothalamic hormones, GH releasing hormone and somatostatin. Any genetic or acquired disorder that impairs GH secretion o...