Study of mRNA expression of the receptors for vasopressin (AVPR1B), corticotropin releasing hormone (CRHR1) and GH secretagogues (GHSR-1a) in patients with ACTH-dependent Cushings syndrome: clinical-molecular correlation / Estudo da expressão do receptor da vasopressina (AVPR1B), do receptor do hormônio liberador de corticotrofina (CRHR1) e do receptor dos secretagogos de GH (GHSR-1a) em pacientes portadores de síndrome de Cushing ACTH-dependente: correlação clínico-molecular

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

INTRODUCTION: The differential diagnosis of ACTH-dependent Cushings syndrome (CS) is one of the major challenges in endocrinology, especially in view of the similar clinical and laboratorial behavior between some carcinoid tumors and Cushings disease (CD). Hence, dynamic tests of ACTH and cortisol release have been carried out with the aim to identify predictive and specific responses for this differential diagnosis. The pattern of the responses has been attributed to receptors overexpression, yet few studies have been undertaken to confirm such association. The aim of the present study was to verify whether ACTH and cortisol release in response to human CRH (hCRH), desmopressin, and GH releasing peptide (GHRP-6) depends on the magnitude of expression of their respective receptors (CRHR1, AVPR1B e GHSR-1a) in samples of tumors from patients with ACTH-dependent CS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty two patients (20 with CD and 2 with Ectopic ACTH Syndrome [EAS], lung and thymus carcinoid tumors) from the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism of University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, median age of 32 years (15-54 years), being 18 females and 4 males, were evaluated between 2002 and 2004. The patients were submitted to dynamic tests with hCRH (100 µg), desmopressin (10 µg) and GHRP-6 (1 µg/kg), with measurement of ACTH and cortisol levels, and also of GH in the case of GHRP-6 stimulation. Twenty one age and sex-matched controls were submitted to the GHRP-6 test. During surgery, tumor fragments were collected and subsequently processed for total mRNA extraction. Gene expression of CRHR1, AVPR1B and GHSR-1a relative to GAPDH was quantitated by real-time qPCR. Tissue samples of normal pituitary, lung and thymus from necropsy were used as controls. RESULTS: Greater expression of GHSR-1a was observed in patients responsive to the GHRP-6 test, both in those with CD and in the one with pulmonary carcinoid tumor. No enhanced expression of receptors CRHR1 and AVPR1B was found in CD patients responsive to the respective dynamic tests, yet there was a strong association between the in vivo responses and the expression of those receptors in the two patients with EAS. GHRP-6 -induced ACTH and cortisol release was more marked in patients with CD as compared with control individuals, but there was overlap of the responses. GH stimulation was observed in control individuals and, to a lesser extent, in patients with CD. CONCLUSIONS: There was greater expression of GHSR-1a in patients with ACTH-dependent CS who responded to GHRP-6, establishing a direct association between receptor gene expression and the in vivo response to the secretagogue in both CD patients and those with EAS. An association between expression of CRHR1 and AVPR1B and the in vivo response to the respective secretagogues was found in patients with EAS but not in those with CD. In view of the response to GHRP-6 in a patient with EAS, we considered the use of this peptide in the differential diagnosis of ACTH-dependent CS of limited value.

ASSUNTO(S)

síndrome de cushing/diagnóstico gene expression neoplasias hipofisárias receptores de hormônio liberador de corticotropina corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors receptores de vasopressina expressão gênica ectopic acth syndrome carcinoid tumor tumor carcinóide pituitary neoplasms vasopressin receptors cushing s syndrome/diagnosis síndrome de acth ectópico

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