neuropeptide-y and Acromegaly

It has been reported that neuropeptide Y (NPY) affects growth hormone (GH) secretion in several animal species. With respect to the role of NPY in regulating GH release in humans, one previous study has reported that NPY inhibited GH secretion from cultured GH-secreting pituitary adenoma cells in vitro. However, since it has yet to be explored whether NPY affects GH secretion in acromegaly in vivo, in this study we attempted to examine the effect of intravenous (i.v.) bolus injection of 100 microg of human NPY on plasma GH levels in 15 patients with active acromegaly, trying to find a possible correlation among GH responses to NPY, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH;500 microg, i.v.), luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH;100 microg, i.v.), and bromocriptine (Br;2.5 mg, per os). NPY significantly increased GH secretion (more than twice the basal level) in 4 (27%) patients, and all of them were responsive to LHRH and non-responsive to Br. In contrast, 3 (20%) acromegalics showed a significant decrease in GH levels (less than half the baseline) after NPY, and all these patients were responsive to both TRH and Br. From these results, we hypothesize that the NPY-induced increase in GH release may be a feature of somatotroph-like pituitary adenoma causing acromegaly, whereas the NPY-induced decrease in GH secretion may be a feature of lactotroph-like adenoma.

Topics: Acromegaly; Adult; Aged; Appetite Stimulants; Bromocriptine; Female; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Hormone Antagonists; Human Growth Hormone; Humans; Injections, Intravenous; Male; Middle Aged; Neuropeptide Y; Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone

A 50-year-old male presented with diabetes mellitus and Cushing's syndrome associated with a large mediastinal mass. The levels of serum cortisol were high (1500-1800 nmol/l) without diurnal variation. Plasma ACTH levels (200-250 ng/l) and urinary excretion of cortisol were also increased. The levels of these hormones did not change in response to stimulation with corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) or suppression with high doses of dexamethasone. The patient had an elevated baseline GH level (7.3 mU/l), and the levels of immunoreactive GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) in eight plasma samples were markedly increased (600-1500 ng/l). Circulating levels of IGF-1, chromogranin A and neuropeptide Y (NPY) were also increased. Computer-assisted tomography and octreotide scintigraphy revealed a large mediastinal tumour and metastases in the left supraclavicular fossa. During treatment with octreotide, the baseline GH level was decreased (to 4.4 mU/l), while the GH pulse height was unchanged. Surgical removal of most of the tumour tissue resulted in a further decrease in the baseline serum GH level to a value (1.6 mU/l) about 20% of that before treatment, while the pulse height and mean GH were affected to a lesser extent. Postoperatively, circulating levels of cortisol and IGF-1 decreased, and the patient exhibited clinical improvement. Histological examination showed a neuroendocrine tumour with characteristics consistent with a foregut carcinoid of thymic origin. Immunoreactive GHRH, ACTH and NPY, but not immunoreactive GH, were detected in 80-90% of the tumour cells and the three peptides appeared to be co-localized. In primary culture, cells from this tumour displayed calcium influx in response to GHRH or GH releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6), while there were not such responses by cells from another carcinoid not producing GHRH, ACTH or NPY. These results demonstrate a rare case of ectopic production of GHRH, ACTH and NPY, and indicate that the tumour cells were responsive to GHRH and GHRP-6 as well as octreotide.

Topics: Acromegaly; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Calcium; Carcinoid Tumor; Chromogranin A; Chromogranins; Cushing Syndrome; Growth Hormone; Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; Hormones; Humans; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; Male; Middle Aged; Neuropeptide Y; Octreotide; Oligopeptides; Thymus Neoplasms; Tumor Cells, Cultured