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Analysis of molecular heterogeneity of prolactin in human systemic lupus erythematosus

Servicio de Reumatologìa del Hospital San Martín, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

M E Colombani-Vidal

Instituto de Análisis Bioquímicos de Endocrinología, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

C C Zylbersztein

Laboratorio de Estudios Hormonales, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina

A Testi

Servicio de Reumatologìa del Hospital San Martín, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

J Marcos

Servicio de Reumatologìa del Hospital San Martín, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

A Arturi

Servicio de Reumatologìa del Hospital San Martín, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

J Babini

Servicio de Reumatologìa del Hospital San Martín, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

H E Scaglia

Instituto de Análisis Bioquímicos de Endocrinología, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, iabe{at}speedy.com.ar

Hyperprolactinemia without clinical manifestations has been reported in some patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) because an increase of prolactin (PRL) is produced due to the BIG/BIG molecular variant (molecular variant, 150 kD). This research project aimed to determine levels of PRL: its bioactive form, the little nonglycosylated form (NGPRL) and variants with decreased bioactivity such as the BIG/BIG and the little glycosylated (GPRL), in 29 women and five men with SLE. PRL was assayed by IRMA with a kit from Immunotech Laboratory, the BIG/BIG form by precipitation with polyethyleneglycol 6000, and the NGPRL and GPRL by chromatography on Concanavalin-A-Sepharose. Increased PRL was detected in seven patients (20.6%) of whom three had increased BIG/BIG, six had increased GPRL and only four had increased NGPRL. The three cases with increased BIG/BIG were contrasted by chromatography on Sephadex G-100. No increased PRL or any of the other variants assayed were found in men. Results were similar when PRL was evaluated in the same blood samples by a different IRMA (DPC Laboratory). The etiology of the hyperprolactinemia in some of these patients is unknown, but their lack of symptoms (galactorrhea or amenorrhea) could be due to the BIG/BIG forms and basically to the glycosylation of the hormone. As for the relation between PRL and SLE activity, we found that hyperprolactinemic patients were younger, had a shorter history of illness, although it was not statistically significant, and a higher SLEDAI score. This would indicate a relation between hyperprolactinemia and lupus activity. The patients with increased BIG/BIG form also had a very active illness at the time of the study.

Key Words: prolactin • systemic lupus erythematosus

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				A. Leanos-Miranda and G. Cardenas-Mondragon Serum free prolactin concentrations in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus are associated with lupus activity Rheumatology, January 1, 2006; 45(1): 97 - 101. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]