Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Corticotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, growth hormone-releasing hormone, and somatostatin-like immunoreactivities in biopsies from breast cancer patients

  • Report
  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The presence of immunoreactive adrenocorticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), luteinizing hormonereleasing hormone (LHRH), growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), and somatostatin has been investigated by immunohistochemistry in forty biopsies from breast cancer patients. All of these hypothalamic hormones were found in about 30% of the samples, seen in the cytoplasm or in the nuclei of the tumor cells. Positive immunostaining for the hypothalamic hormones was present in colloid, lobular, and infiltrating ductal carcinomas. There was not a clear relationship between occurrence of staining for the hypothalamic hormones and the histologic grade of tumors or the clinical stage of the disease. Immunoreactive LHRH was more frequently found in breast tumors with estrogen and progesterone receptors. On the other hand, preneoplastic breast lesions expressed mainly somatostatin, while immunoreactivity was absent in normal mammary tissue.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
€34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Germany)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  1. Suda T, Tomori N, Tozawa F, Demura H, Shizume K, Mouri T, Miura Y, Sasano N: Immunoreactive corticotropin and corticotropin-releasing factor in human hypothalamus, adrenal, lung cancer, and pheochromocytoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 58: 919–924, 1984

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Petrusz P, Merchenthaler I, Maderdrut JL, Vigh S, Schally AV: Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like immunoreactivity in the vertebrate endocrine pancreas. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 80: 1721–1725, 1983

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Petrusz P, Merchenthaler I, Ordronneau P, Maderdrut JL, Vigh S, Schally AV: Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like immunoreactivity in the gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine system. Peptides (Fayetteville) 5 Suppl 1: 71–78, 1984

    Google Scholar 

  4. Nieuwenhuyzen Kruseman AC, Linton EA, Rees LH, Lowry PJ, Besser GM: Corticotropin-releasing factor immunoreactivity in human gastrointestinal tract. Lancet ii: 1245–1246, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  5. Thorner MO, Vance ML, Evans WS, Blizzard RM, Rogol AD, Ho K, Leong DA, Borges JLC, Cronin MJ, MacLeod RM, Kovacs K, Asa S, Horvath E, Frohman L, Furlanetto R, Klingensmith GJ, Brook C, Smith P, Reichlin S, Rivier J, Vale W: Physiological and clinical studies of GRF and GH. Recent Prog Horm Res 42: 589–640, 1986

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Baird A, Wehrenberg WB, Böhlen B, Ling N: Immunoreactive and biologically active growth hormone-releasing factor in the rat placenta. Endocrinology 117: 1598–1601, 1985

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bosman FT, Van Assche C, Nieuwenhuyzen Kruseman AC, Jackson S, Lowry PJ: Growth hormone releasing factor (GRF) immunoreactivity in human and rat gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. J Histochem Cytochem 32: 1139–1144, 1984

    Google Scholar 

  8. Christofides ND, Stephanou A, Suzuki H, Yiangou Y, Bloom SR: Distribution of immunoreactive growth hormone-releasing hormone in the human brain and intestine and its production by tumors. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 59: 747–751, 1984

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Reichlin S: Somatostatin.In: Krieger DT, Brownstein M, Martin JB (eds) Brain Peptides. Wiley, New York, 1983, pp 711–752

    Google Scholar 

  10. Polak JM, Bloom SR: Somatostatin localization in tissues. Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl 119: 11–21, 1986

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Lamers CB: Clinical and pathological aspects of somatostatin and the gastro-intestinal tract. Acta Endocrinol Suppl 286: 19–25, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  12. Hsueh AJW, Jones PBC: Extrapituitary actions of gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Endocrine Rev 2: 437–461, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  13. Seppälä M, Wahlström T: Identification of luteinizing hormone-releasing factor and alpha subunit of glycoprotein hormones in ductal carcinoma of the mammary gland. Int J Cancer 26: 267–268, 1980

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. McDivitt RW, Stewart FW, Berg JW: Tumors of the breastIn: Firminger HI (ed) Atlas of Tumor Pathology, Second Series, Fascicle 2. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, 1968, p 22

    Google Scholar 

  15. Morel G, Barry J, Dubois PM: Localisation ultraestructurale de la gonadoliberine (GNRH) dans les cellules gonadotropes du rat. Etude par immunocytochimie après cryoultramicrotomie. J Physiol (Paris) 76: 219–225, 1980

    Google Scholar 

  16. Morel G, Hemming F, Tonon MC, Vaudry H, Dubois MP, Coy D, Dubois PM: Ultrastructural evidence for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like immunoreactivity in the rat pituitary gland. Biol Cell 44: 89–92, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  17. Morrison JH, Benoit R, Magistretti PJ, Bloom FE: Immunohistochemical distribution of pro-somatostatin-related peptides in cerebral cortex. Brain Res 262: 344–351, 1983

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Guillemin R: Growth hormone-releasing factor from a human pancreatic tumor that caused acromegaly. Science 218: 585–587, 1982

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. De Sombre ER, Thorpe SM, Rose C, Blough RR, Andersen KW, Rasmussen BB, King WJ: Prognostic usefulness of estrogen receptor immunocytochemical assay for human breast cancer. Cancer Res Suppl 46: 4256s-4264s, 1986

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Perrot-Applanat M, Groyer-Picard MT, Lorenzo F, Jolivet A, Hai MTV, Pallud C, Spyratos F, Milgrom E: Immunocytochemical study with monoclonal antibodies to progesterone receptor in human breast tumors. Cancer Res 47: 2652–2661, 1987

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Ciocca DR, Puy LA, Fasoli LC: Study of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and the estrogen-regulated Mr 24,000 protein in patients with carcinomas of the endometrium and cervix. Cancer Res 49: 4298–4303, 1989

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ: Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193: 265–275, 1951

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Ciocca DR, Bjercke RJ: Immunohistochemical techniques using monoclonal antibodies.In: Langone JJ, Van Vunakis H (eds) Methods in Enzymology, Vol 121. Academic Press, New York, 1986, pp 652–679

    Google Scholar 

  24. Laemmli UK: Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature (Lond) 227: 680–685, 1970

    Google Scholar 

  25. Towbin H, Staehelin T, Gordon J: Electrophoretic transfer of protein from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets: procedure and some applications. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76: 4350–4354, 1979

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Eidne KA, Flanagan CA, Millar RP: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone binding sites in human breast carcinoma. Science 229: 989–991, 1985

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Reubi JC, Maurer R, von Werder K, Torhorst J, Klijn JGM, Lamberts SWJ: Somatostatin receptors in human endocrine tumors. Cancer Res 47: 551–558, 1987

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Eidne KA, Flanagan CA, Harris NS, Millar RP: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-binding sites in human breast cancer cell lines and inhibitory effects of GnRH antagonists. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 64: 425–432, 1987

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Usui T, Nakai Y, Tsukada T, Jingami H, Takahashi H, Fukata J, Imura H: Expression of adrenocorticotropinreleasing hormone precursor gene in placenta and other nonhypothalamic tissues in man. Mol Endocrinol 2: 871–875, 1988

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Castro A, Buschbaum P, Nadji M, Voigt W, Tabei S, Morales A: Immunochemical demonstration of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in tissue of breast carcinoma. Acta Endocrinol 94: 511–516, 1980

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Castro A, Ziegels-Weissman J, Buschbaum P, Voigt W, Morales A, Nadji M: Immunochemical demonstration of immunoreactive insulin in human breast cancer. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol 29: 171–182, 1980

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Woodard BH, Eisenbarth G, Wallace NR, Mossler JA, McCarty KS: Adrenocorticotropin production by a mammary carcinoma. Cancer 47: 1823–1827, 1981

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Odell WD, Wolfsen IR, Bachelot I, Hirose FM: Ectopic production of lipotropin by cancer. Am J Med 66: 631–638, 1979

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Sutherland RM: Importance of critical metabolites and cellular interactions in the biology of microregions of tumors. Cancer 58: 1668–1680, 1986

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Sano T, Asa SL, Kovacs K: Growth hormone-releasing hormone-producing tumors: clinical, biochemical, and morphological manifestations. Endocrine Rev 9: 357–373, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  36. Sasaki A, Sato S, Yumita S, Hanew K, Miura Y, Yoshinaga K: Multiple forms of immunoreactive growth hormonereleasing hormone in human plasma, hypothalamus, and tumor tissues. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 68: 180–185, 1989

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Frohman LA, Thominet JL, Szabo M: Ectopic growth hormone-releasing factor syndromes.In: Raiti S, Tolman R (eds) Human Growth Hormone. Plenum, New York, 1986, pp 347–360

    Google Scholar 

  38. Zumoff B: Plasma hormone concentrations in human breast and prostate cancer.In: Sharma RK, Criss WE (eds) Endocrine Control in Neoplasia. Raven Press, New York, 1978, pp 349–367

    Google Scholar 

  39. Carper SW, Duffy JJ, Gerner EW: Heat shock proteins in thermotolerance and other cellular processes. Cancer Res 47: 5249–5255, 1987

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Mascardo RN, Sherline P: Somatostatin inhibits rapid centrosomal separation and cell proliferation induced by epidermal growth factor. Endocrinology 111: 1394–1395, 1982

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Setyono-Han B, Henkerlman MS, Foekens JA, Klijn JGM: Direct inhibitory effects of somatostatin (analogues) on the growth of human breast cancer cells. Cancer Res 47: 1566–1570, 1987

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Miller WR, Scott WN, Morris R, Fraser HM, Sharpe RM: Growth of human breast cancer cells inhibited by a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist. Nature 313: 231–233, 1985

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Bloom HJ, Richardson WW: Histologic grading and prognosis in breast cancer. A study of 1409 cases of which 359 have been followed for 15 years. Cancer 11: 359–377, 1957

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CRICYT), Casilla de Correo 855, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina

    Daniel R. Ciocca, Libertad A. Puy & Liliana C. Fasoli

  2. Hospital Central, Mendoza, Argentina

    Olga Tello & Juan C. Aznar

  3. Policlínico Ferroviario, Mendoza, Argentina

    Francisco E. Gago

  4. Hospital Lagomaggiore, Mendoza, Argentina

    Sara I. Papa

  5. Sanatorio Fleming, Mendoza, Argentina

    Roberto Sonego

Authors
  1. Daniel R. Ciocca
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Libertad A. Puy
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Liliana C. Fasoli
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Olga Tello
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Juan C. Aznar
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Francisco E. Gago
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Sara I. Papa
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Roberto Sonego
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ciocca, D.R., Puy, L.A., Fasoli, L.C. et al. Corticotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, growth hormone-releasing hormone, and somatostatin-like immunoreactivities in biopsies from breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Res Tr 15, 175–184 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01806354

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01806354

Key words