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Ectopically produced calcitonin in human hemoblastoses

Ektope Bildung von Calcitonin bei menschlichen Hämoblastosen

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Summary

The incidence of elevated serum levels of immunoreactive calcitonin (CT) in human myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative disorders was investigated. On the basis of twice the normal range, about 45% of patients with acute leukemia and blast crisis of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) showed elevated serum levels of CT. Markedly elevated levels (> 1,000 pg/ml) were only found in this group. Since immunoreactive CT dropped to normal or only slightly elevated levels in remission and increased again before or during relapse, serum CT levels seem to reflect the activity of the disease. However, in patients with chronic leukemia, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a lower incidence and only slightly elevated serum values were found. In addition, the molecular weight of the proteohormone in serum specimen and cell extracts was investigated by gel chromatography. Besides physiological CT, different high-molecular weight forms of the hormone could be demonstrated in serum and in cell extracts. Extracts of leukemic cells revealed higher molecular forms only. It is suggested that the proteohormone is ectopically produced by leukemic cells.

Zusammenfassung

Das Vorkommen erhöhter Serumspiegel von immunreaktivem Calcitonin (CT) wurde bei menschlichen myeloproliferativen und lymphoproliferativen Erkrankungen untersucht. Unter Zugrundelegung des doppelten oberen Normalbereiches zeigten etwa 45% der Patienten mit akuter Leukämie und mit Blastenschub bei chronischer myeloischer Leukämie erhöhte Calcitonin-Serumspiegel. Extrem erhöhte Werte (> 1000 pg/ml) waren nur in dieser Patientengruppe nachweisbar. Mit dem Eintritt einer Remission kam es zu einem Abfall oder einer Normalisierung der CT-Werte, während bei Eintreten eines Rezidivs ein frühzeitiger Wiederanstieg beobachtet wurde. Dies läßt annehmen, daß die Serumspiegel die Aktivität der Erkrankung wiedergeben. Bei Patienten mit chronischen Leukämien, Morbus Hodgkin und Nicht-Hodgkin-Lymphomen war die Häufigkeit und das Ausmaß der Calcitoninerhöhung im Serum deutlich geringer. Darüber hinaus wurde die Molekulargewichtsverteilung des Proteohormons in Serumproben und Zellextrakten durch Gelchromatographie untersucht. Neben dem physiologischen Hormon fanden sich unterschiedliche hochmolekulare Formen im Serum und in Milzzellextrakten. In Leukämiezellextrakten war ausschließlich hochmolekulares Calcitonin nachweisbar. Es wird angenommen, daß Calcitonin ektop durch die leukämischen Zellen produziert wird.

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Abbreviations

AML:

Acute myelocytic leukemia

AMoL:

Acute myelomonocytic leukemia

CML:

Chronic myelocytic leukemia

ALL:

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

AUL:

Acute undifferentiated leukemia

NHL:

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

CLL:

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung Hämatologie/Onkologie, Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Universität Marburg, Germany

    K. -H. Pflüger, C. Gropp & K. Havemann

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  1. K. -H. Pflüger
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  2. C. Gropp
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  3. K. Havemann
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Pflüger, K.H., Gropp, C. & Havemann, K. Ectopically produced calcitonin in human hemoblastoses. Klin Wochenschr 60, 667–672 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01716799

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