Summary
Previous reports have indicated that patients with Parkinson's disease have elevated plasma levels of immunoreactive (IR) beta-melanocyte stimulating hormone (β-MSH), which may have implications as to its pathogenesis and treatment. Recent methodological advances, however, have demonstrated that what had originally been measured in human plasma asβ-MSH actually representsβ-lipotropin (β-LPH), and thatβ-MSH as such does not normally circulate in human plasma. With the capacity to specifically measure immunoreactiveβ-LPH in human plasma, we have determined plasma levels of immunoreactiveβ-LPH as well as ACTH and prolactin in three groups of subjects:
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A.
Parkinson patients untreated with levodopa (n=11);
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B.
Parkinson patients on levodopa therapy (n=21);
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C.
Controls (n=6).
No difference was found in plasma levels of IR-β-LPH and IR-ACTH between these three groups. Plasma levels of prolactin were not different in either group of Parkinsonian patients as compared to controls. However, prolactin levels were significantly lower in the Parkinsonian patients treated with levodopa versus the untreated group. These data suggest that there is no defect inβ-LPH release from the pituitary in Parkinson's disease.
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Supported by NIH Research Grant No. NO02893-18, NIH Training Grant No. 5T32 AM07027-04, and NIH Grant No. NS11631-08 The Clinical Center for Research in Parkinson's and Allied Diseases.
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Wiesen, M., Yahr, M.D. & Krieger, D.T. Plasma beta-lipotropin levels in Parkinson's disease. J. Neural Transmission 53, 75–82 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01243521
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01243521