To characterize parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) in the human placenta, we measured PTHrP-like immunoreactivity (PRP-LI) in the term placenta and studied the elution profiles of placental tissue extracts on Sephadex G-75 chromatography with a specific RIA. We also examined the gene expression of PTHrP mRNA by Northern blot analysis and the localization of PRP-LI in the placenta by immunohistochemistry. The amount of PRP-LI in placental extracts (n = 7) was 20.9 +/- 2.2 pg/g wet tissue (mean +/- SE). Dilution curves of placental tissue ran parallel to those of synthetic PTHrP (1-34) standards. Sephadex G-75 gel chromatography demonstrated two major PRP-LI peaks; the first peak was eluted around the molecular size between 10 kilodaltons (Kda) and 20 Kda and the other around 5 Kda. Northern blot analysis of PTHrP mRNA extracted from placental tissues showed a major hybridization signal around 18S. PTHrP immunohistochemistry showed PRP-LI staining in the cytoplasm of syncytiotrophoblasts and stroma cells (Hofbauer cells) in the term placenta. These results suggest that syncytiotrophoblasts and stroma cells in the term placenta synthesize PTHrP in two major molecular forms, 10 Kda-20 Kda and around 5 Kda.

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A 49-year-old female with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN)type 1 associated with malignant lymphoma, lipoma, functioning adenomatous goiter, non-functioning adrenal tumor, polyneuropathy, postoperative primary hyperparathyroidism, and hepatitis B virus was a human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) carrier. She underwent parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism at age 44. At age 49, examinations of the enlarged para-aortic lymph nodes revealed diffuse small non-cleaved B cell lymphoma in stage II, and other various complications were also found. Multiple tumorigenetic factors were considered to be involved in the present case. (Internal Medicine 35: 849-854, 1996)

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Previous observations that cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity exists in mammalian sera including human serum prompted us to investigate the phosphodiesterase levels in sera of patients with various thyroid disorders. Both serum cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE) and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (cGMP-PDE) activities measured in a low substrate concentration were elevated 3-fold in subacute thyroiditis and slightly in hyperthyroidism, compared to the normal. Slight decreases of these enzyme activities were observed in primary hypothyroidism. PDE activities were positively correlated with the value of T(3)-RSU and serum thyroid hormone levels in hyper- and hypothyroidism. Altered enzyme activities returned to normal during the course of recovery. Identical results were obtained when plasma was tested. These results suggest that serum PDE activities may be partly related to the thyroid function.