Parathyroid hormone-related peptide in normal human fetal development

• Published in: Journal of molecular endocrinology Vol. 5; no. 3; pp. 259 - 266
• Main Authors: MONIZ, C, BURTON, P. B. J, MALIK, A. N, DIXIT, M, BANGA, J. P, NICOLAIDES, K, QUIRKE, P, KNIGHT, D. E, MCGREGOR, A. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester BioScientifica 01.12.1990; Portland Press
• Subjects: Amniotic Fluid - chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Assay; Calcium - metabolism; DNA Probes; Embryonic and Fetal Development; Fetal Blood - chemistry; Fetus - chemistry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gestational Age; Humans; Hypercalcemia - metabolism; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Morphology. Functional localizations; Parathyroid Hormone - biosynthesis; Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein; Placenta - chemistry; Proteins - analysis; Proteins - genetics; Proteins - physiology; RNA, Messenger - analysis; Thyroid. Parathyroid. Ultimobranchial body; Tumor Cells, Cultured - chemistry; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Molecular hybridization; Endocrine gland; Calcium; Radiolabelling; Peptides; Hypercalcemia; Northern blotting; Parathormone; Parathyroid hormone; Analog; Development; Fetus; Parathyroid glands; Cations
• ISSN: 0952-5041; 1479-6813
• DOI: 10.1677/jme.0.0050259

ABSTRACT Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) has been detected in fetal serum and amniotic fluid. Using a combination of immunocytochemistry and molecular biology we have detected the peptide and its mRNA in a variety of fetal tissues throughout gestation. Tissue-specific mRNA isoforms were observed, the pattern of hybridization of which changed throughout gestation. In addition, the intensity and pattern of immunocytochemical localization of the peptide was found to vary over the time-period studied (8∓30 weeks). PTHrP is expressed by a variety of tumours associated with the syndrome of humoral hypercalcaemia of malignancy and probably accounts for the hypercalcaemia by virtue of its limited amino acid homology with parathyroid hormone. These data demonstrate for the first time that PTHrP, a tumour-related peptide, is expressed during normal human fetal development, and suggest the possibility that it may function to regulate fetal calcium balance and growth in utero.