Abstract
Total and free thyroid hormones (T3, T4, FT3 FT4), TSH and PRL were determined in basal conditions and after stimulation with TRH in 32 patients affected by autonomous thyroid nodules before and after nodulectomy and in 24 control subjects. Only 7 patients were clinically thyrotoxic and thyroid hormone concentrations were slightly elevated in mosteases. In untreated patients the increment (Δ) in PRL after TRH was significantly lower than in normal subjects but was not as severely depressed as that of TSH. After nodulectomy both ΔPRL and ΔTSH increased and were not significantly different from those found in normal subjects. Thus PRL responsiveness to TRH is depressed by prolonged though moderate increases in thyroid hormone concentrations but is not as sensitive to their action as TSH.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Tashjian A.H., Barowsky N.J., Jensen D.K. Thyrotropin releasing hormone: direct evidence for stimulation of prolactin production by pituitary cells in culture. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 43: 616, 1971.
Bowers C.Y., Friesen H.G., Hwang P., Guyda H.J. Prolactin and thyrotropin release in man by synthetic pyroglutamyl-histidyl-prolinamide. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 45: 1033, 1971.
Jacobs L.S., Snyder P.J., Wilber J.F., Utiger R.D., Daughaday W.H. Increased serum prolactin after administration of synthetic thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) in man. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 33: 996, 1971.
L’Hermite M., Robyn C., Golstein J., Rothenbucher G., Birk J., Loos U., Bonnyns M., Vanhaelst G. Prolactin and thyrotropin in thyroid disease; lack of evidence for a physiological role of thyrotropin releasing hormone in the regulation of prolactin secretion. Horm. Metab. Res. 6: 190, 1974.
Noel G.L., Dimond R.C., Wartofsky L., Earll J.M., Frantz A.G. Studies of prolactin and TSH secretion by continuous infusion of small amounts of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 39: 6, 1974.
Bowers C.Y., Friesen H.G., Folkers K. Further evidencethat TRH is also a physiological regulator of PRL secretion in man. Biochem: Biophys. Res. Commun. 51: 512, 1973.
Spencer C.A., Greenstadt M.A., Wheler W.S., Kletzky O.A., Nicoloff I.T. The influence of long-term low dose thyrotropin-releasing hormone infusions on serum thyrotropin and prolactin concentrations in man. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 57: 771, 1980.
Yamaji T. Modulation of prolactin release by altered levels of thyroid hormones. Metabolism 23: 745, 1974.
Snyder P.J., Jacobs R.D., Utiger R.D., Daughaday W.H. Thyroid hormone inhibition of the prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone. J.Clin. Invest. 52: 2324, 1973.
Onishi T., Miyai K., Izumi K., Nakanishi H., Kumahara Y. Prolactin response to chlorpromazine and thyrotropin-releasing hormone in hyperthyroidism. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 40: 30, 1975.
Carlson H.E., Sawin C.T., Krugman L.G., Meyer N.C., Hershman J.M. Effect of thyroid hormones on the prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in normal persons and euthyroid goitrous patients. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 47: 275, 1978.
Refetoff S.F., Fang V.S., Rapoport B.,. Friesen H.G. Interrelationships in the regulation of TSH and prolactin secretion in man: effects of L-dopa, TRH and thyroid hormones in various combinations. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 38: 450, 1974.
Rapoport B., Refetoff S., Fang V.S., Friesen H.G. Suppression of serum thyrotropin (TSH) by L-dopa in chronic hypothyroidism: interrelationships in the regulation of TSH and prolactin secretion. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 36: 256, 1973.
Wartofsky L., Dimond R.C., Noel G.L., Frantz A.G., Earll J.M. Effect of acute increases in serum triiodothyronine on TSH and prolactin responses to TRH and estimates of pituitary stores of TSH and prolactin in normal subjects and in patients with primary hypothyroidism. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 42: 443, 1976.
Gurney C., Owen G.S., Hall R., Roth M., Harper M., Smart GA Newcastle thyrotoxicosis index. Lancet 2:1275, 1970.
Romelli P.B., Pennisi F., Vancheri L Measurement of free thyroid hormones in serum by column absorption chromatography and radioimmunoassay. J. Endocrinol. Invest. 2: 25, 1979.
Elte J.W.F., Wiarda K.S., Frolich M., Haak A. Normal prolactin response following thyrotropin-releasing hormone in patients with autonomously functioning euthyroid multinodular goitre. Clin. Endocrinol. 9:43, 1978.
Ridgway E.C., Weintraub B.D., Cavallos J.L., Rack M.C., Maloof F. Suppression of pituitary TSH secretion in the patient with hyperfunctioning nodule. J. Clin. Invest. 52: 2783, 1973.
Feek C.M., Sawers J.S.A., Brown N.S., Seth J., Irvine W.J. Influence of thyroid status on dopaminergic inhibition of thyrotropin and prolactin secretion: evidence for an additional feedback mechanism in the control of thyroid hormone secretion. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 51: 585, 1980.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Langer, M., Costanza, C., Casu, A.R. et al. The TRH induced PRL release in patients with autonomous thyroid nodules before and after surgical treatment. J Endocrinol Invest 6, 195–198 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350607
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350607