Parathyroid hormone: effects of the 3-34 fragment in vivo and vitro

The opposing actions of the two parathyroid hormones, 1-84 PTH and 7-84 PTH: improvement in renal bone and calcium metabolism management

Bone biopsy, while invasive, is the gold standard for assessing bone status. According to published bone biopsy studies, half of the end-stage renal disease patients have adynamic bone disease. Compared to high-bone-turnover disease, adynamic bone disease has the higher mortality and is associated with arterial calcification. The treatment for high-bone-turnover disease is divergent from the treatment for adynamic bone disease. The parathyroid hormone (PTH) assay has been relied on as the routine, noninvasive diagnostic method to assess bone status. According to bone biopsy studies, the intact PTH assay has been demonstrated as ineffective at differentiating adynamic bone disease from normal and high-bone-turnover disease. For example, bone biopsy studies found the normal range for iPTH to be 451 to 1339 pg/mL and the range for adynamic bone disease to be 400 to 919 pg/mL. Intact PTH measures the sum of the two PTH hormones 1-84 PTH and 7-84 PTH. Specific 1-84 PTH assays neglect the role of the 7-84 PTH hormone, which is to lower bone turnover. According to independent bone biopsy studies, the 1-84 PTH/7-84 PTH ratio is 94% accurate in identifying adynamic bone disease and 94% accurate in assessing bone-turnover status.

PTH and PTHrP: Similar Structures but Different Functions

Parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone-related peptide are two structurally similar peptide hormones that exert mainly identical effects on classical target cells of parathyroid hormone but remarkable differences in their effects on other target cells. This review focuses on their functional differences and the mechanisms underlying these effects.

Evaluation of a protocol for studying the chick chorioallantoic membrane in vitro

Explants of eggshell with and without the chorioallantoic membrane were taken from fertile chicken eggs on day 16 of incubation and exposed in vitro to inhibitors (acetazolamide and benzolamide) of carbonic anhydrase to determine if enzyme inhibition affected release of calcium from the shell. A separate experiment examined the effect of the metabolic poison dinitrophenol (DNP) on release of calcium from explants. Explants with the chorioallantois in situ released more calcium than those lacking the epithelium, but neither the enzyme inhibitors nor DNP affected release of calcium. The lack of effect of the enzyme inhibitors could indicate that activity of carbonic anhydrase is not as important to the release of calcium from the eggshell as has been assumed. However, the absence of an effect of DNP instead indicates that release of calcium mediated by the chorioallantois in vitro simply lacks physiological relevance. Thus, results of this investigation raise doubts that the mechanism underlying release of calcium from the eggshell can be assessed in vitro.

Truncation of the amino terminus of PTH alters its anabolic activity on bone in vivo

In vitro studies of parathyroid hormone (PTH) structure and function have suggested that the anabolic effect of PTH on bone requires the presence of amino acid residues 28-34 (domains for protein kinase C activation and mitogenic activity), but not amino acid residues 1-7 (adenylate cyclase activation domain). We have tested this hypothesis with in vivo studies of human PTH (hPTH) analogs. Serum biomarkers and selected histomorphometric parameters of bone formation and resorption were assessed in adult, female, Sprague-Dawley rats following 19 daily injections of vehicle, 10 micrograms/kg body weight (bw) of hPTH(1-38), or a dose range of 10, 40, and 100 micrograms/100 g bw of hPTH(2-38) or hPTH(3-38). Treatment with hPTH(1-38) increased serum osteocalcin, the percentage of osteoblast surface, percentage of osteoid surface, percentage of bone volume, trabecular thickness, and bone formation rate, while it decreased the percentage of osteoclast surface. The hPTH(2-38) fragment exhibited 10%-25% of the in vivo anabolic activity of hPTH(1-38), while it had no effect on the percentage of osteoclast surface. The hPTH(3-38) fragment exhibited no biological activity on bone. In contrast, serum INS-PTH (intact-N-terminal specific PTH) levels were similarly and significantly increased above control in rats treated with hPTH(1-38), hPTH(2-38), or hPTH(3-38) at the same dose. This preliminary finding suggests that the differential activity of these peptides on bone is not due to differences in the circulating level of immunoreactive PTH (intact and amino-terminal fragments of PTH from endogenous and exogenous sources) several hours after PTH injection. However, we can draw no conclusion regarding the relative clearance rates of these peptides. Last, because hPTH(3-38) was without any detectable biological activity on rat bone in vivo, its mitogenic activity was confirmed in two osteoblast-like cell lines. In summary, the anabolic effect of hPTH(1-38) on bone in vivo was (1) diminished by removal of amino acid residue 1, and (2) abolished by the removal of amino acid residues 1 and 2. Although these findings suggest that the therapeutic benefits of exogenous PTH administration may depend upon activation of not only protein kinase C, but also adenylate cyclase, they do not rule out a differential PTH response due to other causes, e.g., metabolic inactivation.

Evaluation in vivo of a potent parathyroid hormone antagonist: [Nle8,18,D-Trp12,Tyr34]bPTH(7-34)NH2

In an effort to design and select potent parathyroid hormone (PTH) antagonists suitable for clinical utility, a PTH analog was evaluated in vivo in an animal model to assess its properties in preparation for human studies. The previously described PTH antagonist, [Nle8,18,D-Trp12,Tyr34]bPTH(7-34)NH2, which is highly active in vitro, was documented in these studies to be an effective antagonist of the PTH-stimulated calcemic response in vivo. In thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTX) rats, the efficacy of the antagonist was demonstrated to be dose-dependent. Inhibition was demonstrated when intravenous administration of antagonist started 1 h prior to coinfusion with the PTH agonist [Nle8,18,Tyr34]bPTH(1-34)NH2. Maximal inhibition by antagonist (an 84% decline in serum calcium levels compared with agonist alone) of the calcemic response was observed when a 200-fold molar excess of antagonist (12 nmol/h) was administered. At dose ratios of antagonist:agonist as low as 10:1, a 40-50% inhibition of PTH-stimulated calcemic response is evident, provided a longer (2 h) lead time for antagonist infusion is allowed. Based on these and related studies, the antagonist [Nle8,18,D-Trp12,Tyr34]bPTH(7-34)NH2 has displayed sufficient potency to obtain approval from the appropriate institutional and regulatory agencies for clinical trials in hypercalcemic states of parathyroid and tumor origin.

Dissociation of phosphaturia and 25(OH)D-1 alpha-hydroxylase trophism using a novel analogue of parathyroid hormone

Certain parathyroid hormone (PTH) analogues have been shown to selectively impair some but not all physiological actions of PTH. In this study, transaminated rat (r) PTH [TA-rPTH-(1-34)], a PTH analogue that differs from the rPTH-(1-34) fragment in that the NH2-terminal alanine is converted to pyruvate, was infused into mice to determine its properties in vivo and specifically to determine whether stimulation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1 alpha-hydroxylase (1 alpha-hydroxylase) activity was more dependent on concomitant renal handling of phosphate or on generation of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP). High-performance liquid chromatography-purified TA-rPTH-(1-34) was infused into C57BL mice at 10 or 30 pmol/h for 24 h. At 30 pmol/h, TA-rPTH-(1-34) was comparable with rPTH-(1-34) in its hypophosphatemic and phosphaturic effects but was less potent than rPTH-(1-34) in raising serum calcium. TA-rPTH-(1-34) was markedly less effective in stimulating renal 1 alpha-hydroxylase than rPTH-(1-34). Stimulation of urinary cAMP excretion occurred after infusion with TA-rPTH-(1-34), but this effect was significantly less than that seen with rPTH-(1-34). These findings indicate that PTH-induced hypophosphatemia and phosphaturia can be uncoupled from PTH stimulation of 1 alpha-hydroxylase. Furthermore, cAMP-related signal transduction appears to be more significant in regulation of 1 alpha-hydroxylase than mechanisms that mediate PTH-sensitive phosphate transport, independent of cAMP.

Dissociation of cAMP accumulation and phosphate uptake in opossum kidney (OK) cells with parathyroid hormone (PTH) and parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP)

Bovine parathyroid hormone (PTH) 1-34 [bPTH(1-34)] and human PTH related protein [hPTHrP(1-34)] stimulated cAMP accumulation in opossum kidney (OK) cells with Km of 5 x 10(-9) M, but inhibition of phosphate uptake was obtained with 17-fold lower Km of 3 x 10(-10) M. Phosphate uptake was partially inhibited with [Nle8.18Tyr34]bPTH(3-34)NH2 without concomitant cAMP stimulation. With hPTHrP(7-34)NH2, cAMP accumulation was increased in parallel to inhibition of phosphate uptake. [D-Trp12Tyr34]bPTH(7-34)NH2 and [Tyr34]hPTH(7-34)NH2 had no agonist activity on cellular cAMP and inhibition of phosphate uptake. bPTH(1-34)-stimulated cAMP accumulation was antagonized by [Nle8.18Tyr34]bPTH(3-34)NH2, [D-Trp12Tyr34]bPTH(7-34)NH2, hPTHrP(7-34)NH2 and [Tyr34]hPTH(7-34)NH2 with Ki of 1.4 x 10(-7), 2 x 10(-7), 4.7 x 10(-7) and 3.7 x 10(-6) M, respectively. But [Nle8.18Tyr34]bPTH(3-34)NH2 and [D-Trp12Tyr34]bPTH(7-34)NH2 reversed the inhibition of phosphate uptake only marginally, and hPTHrP(7-34)NH2 and [Tyr34]hPTH(7-34)NH2 were inactive. With hPTHrP(1-34) the Ki for cAMP accumulation of [Nle8,18Tyr34]bPTH(3-34)NH2 and hPTHrP(7-34)NH2 were 1.9 x 10(-7) and 7.2 x 10(-7) M, and inhibition of phosphate uptake was partially reversed with [Nle8,18Tyr34]bPTH(3-34)NH2, but not with hPTHrP(7-34)NH2. The present results indicate that truncated hPTHrP(7-34)NH2, unlike [Tyr34]hPTH(7-34)NH2 and [D-Trp12Tyr34]bPTH(7-34)NH2, elevates cellular cAMP and inhibits phosphate uptake. bPTH(1-34)- and hPTHrP(1-34)-evoked cAMP accumulation is suppressed by PTH and PTHrP fragments while inhibition of phosphate uptake remains largely unaltered.

Functional asymmetry in phosphate transport and its regulation in opossum kidney cells: parathyroid hormone inhibition

The sidedness (apical vs basolateral) of the inhibitory of phosphate (Pi) transport by parathyroid hormone (PTH) was investigated in opossum kidney (OK)-cell monolayers grown on permeant support. PTH was found to regulate the activity of only the apical Na Pi cotransporter, having no effect on the basolateral transport systems. Transport inhibition was approximately 100-fold more sensitive to apical PTH application (Kd: 5 x 10(-12) M) than to basolateral application (Kd: 5 x 10(-10) M). The time-course of the inhibitory response was identical from the two cell surfaces, with half-maximum inhibition occurring at about 20 min and almost full inhibition by 90 min. Experiments on diffusion and degradation demonstrated that the difference in Kd at the two cell surfaces was not due to differential metabolism or diffusion. Tests of cooperativity between the apical and basolateral regulatory events at intermediate concentrations suggested that the presence of PTH on one side of the monolayer reduced the scope of response from the other side. At maximum doses of PTH (10(-7)-10(-8) M) the transport inhibition from either side was equal and not additive. We conclude that in OK-cell monolayers grown on permeant support only apical Na/Pi co-transport is sensitive to PTH inhibition and that PTH receptor properties may be different on the apical and basolateral surfaces.

Structure-activity relationships of parathyroid hormone analogs in the opossum kidney cell line

Structural alterations in the parathyroid hormone (PTH) molecule produce marked changes in biologic activity. We examined the relative sensitivity of PTH-stimulated cAMP formation and PTH-inhibitable Na+-dependent phosphate transport responses to bovine PTH analogs [bPTH-(1-34), bPTH-(1-84), 8,18-norleucine-34-tyrosinamide bPTH-(1-34), bPTH-(7-34)-amide, 8,18-norleucine-34-tyrosinamide bPTH-(3-34), transaminated bPTH-(1-34)] and the human PTH-related peptide of malignancy (1-34) in cultured opossum kidney cells. The rank order of potency for stimulation of cAMP formation was bPTH-(1-34) = hPTHrP-(1-34) greater than nle bPTH-(1-34) greater than bPTH-(1-84) much greater than TAbPTH-(1-34). Nle bPTH-(3-34) and bPTH-(7-34) did not affect cAMP formation in intact cells at concentrations up to 10 microM. The rank order of potency for the inhibition of phosphate transport was bPTH-(1-34) = hPTHrP-(1-34) greater than nle bPTH-(1-34) greater than bPTH-(1-84) = TAbPTH-(1-34) greater than nle bPTH-(3-34). TAbPTH-(1-34) was a full agonist and inhibited phosphate transport at concentrations that did not increase cAMP formation, but nle bPTH-(3-34) was a partial agonist in spite of its inability to stimulate cAMP formation. Bovine PTH-(7-34) had no effect on phosphate transport. This study indicates that changes in the PTH molecule produce analogs that apparently discriminate between the cAMP-stimulating activity and phosphate transport-inhibiting activities of the native hormone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In vitro and in vivo antagonists against parathyroid hormone-related protein

Four analogues of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), PTHrP(7-34)NH2, (10-34)NH2, (15-34)NH2 and (20-34)NH2, were synthesized and their antagonistic activity against PTHrP(1-34) was examined in vitro and in vivo. In vitro studies revealed that all four analogues antagonized PTHrP-stimulated cyclic AMP production in rat osteosarcoma cells (ROS 17/2.8), and that PTHrP(7-34)NH2 and PTHrP(10-34)NH2 had potent antagonistic activity. In vivo experiments in nude mice also revealed that PTHrP(7-34)NH2 completely inhibited hypercalcemia induced by PTHrP(1-34), indicating that these analogues antagonize the effects of PTHrP(1-34) in vitro and in vivo.

Effects of the parathyroid hormone antagonist [Tyr34]bPTH-(7-34)amide on avian renal phosphate transport

The in vivo parathyroid hormone antagonist, [Tyr34]bPTH-(7-34)amide, was tested for its ability to block endogenous parathyroid hormone (PTH) activity in parathyroid-intact European starlings. The inhibitor was infused at two dose levels, 0.005 and 0.05 mg/hr. A third group received a vehicle/control infusion. High-dose infusion led to rapid and significant decreases in plasma calcium and in both absolute and relative phosphate (Pi) excretion. Low-dose infusion significantly reduced plasma calcium, but had no effect on Pi excretion. Plasma Pi tended to increase with time in all three groups. Removal of the antagonist after 140 min of high-dose infusion led to a rapid recovery of relative Pi excretion, and a subsequent overshoot to more than twice the original control level. To further test the ability of the antagonist to block endogenous PTH activity, an EGTA challenge was used to induce hypocalcemia and subsequent elevation of circulating PTH levels. In vehicle-infused birds, EGTA challenge led to a doubling of relative Pi excretion, but in birds receiving the high-dose infusion, no effect of EGTA was observed. These results demonstrate that [Tyr34]bPTH-(7-34)amide can completely block endogenous PTH activity in birds at the receptor level, including the hormone response of the renal Pi secretory transport mechanism.

A dual mechanism for regulation of kidney phosphate transport by parathyroid hormone

Regulation of phosphate transport by parathyroid hormone (PTH) was investigated in continuous lines of kidney cells. Phosphate transport was reduced by PTH-(1-34) at physiological concentrations (EC50 5 X 10(-11) M), whereas much higher concentrations were required to stimulate cAMP formation (EC50 1 X 10(-8) M) in opossum kidney (OK) cells. The PTH analogue [Nle]PTH-(3-34) also inhibited phosphate transport but did not enhance cAMP formation. Instead, [Nle]PTH-(3-34) was a competitive antagonist of PTH-(1-34) at cyclase-coupled receptors. PTH-(7-34) had no effect on phosphate transport or cAMP formation. Phorbol esters or mezerein were potent inhibitors of phosphate transport but did not affect cAMP synthesis. Their potencies paralleled the rank-order potency of these agents as activators of protein kinase c in other systems. Maximally effective concentrations of PTH-(1-34) and mezerein did not produce additive inhibition of phosphate transport in OK cells. Phorbol esters stimulated phosphate transport in JTC-12 cells, but PTH-(1-34) had no effect. We concluded that PTH regulates OK cell phosphate transport by interacting with two classes of receptors, and transmembrane-signaling mechanisms. Physiological levels of PTH-(1-34) may regulate phosphate transport by activation of protein kinase c, whereas higher concentrations appear to activate adenylate cyclase.

Evaluation of a parathyroid hormone antagonist in an in vivo multiparameter bioassay

The antagonist properties of a bovine parathyroid hormone analogue ([Tyr34]bPTH-(7-34] amide were quantitatively assessed in vivo in a multiparameter assay to estimate the potency of the antagonist against the major actions of PTH. The analogue inhibited PTH-stimulated urinary excretion of phosphate and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate in vitamin D-deficient thyroparathyroidectomized rats in a dose-dependent manner. At a molar dose ratio as low as 5:1 of antagonist to PTH, partial inhibition occurred. PTH stimulates the activity of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1 alpha-hydroxylase in renal proximal tubules. When coinfused with PTH, this analogue completely inhibited PTH-stimulated 1 alpha-hydroxylase activity at a molar dose ratio of 25:1 of antagonist to PTH and partially inhibited the activity at a molar dose ratio of 10:1. The analogue revealed no PTH-like agonist activity for stimulation of the 1 alpha-hydroxylase. Taken together, these studies indicate that [Tyr34]bPTH-(7-34) amide is a potent antagonist of several of the parameters of PTH action in vivo and demonstrate the feasibility of designing a PTH antagonist that can interact simultaneously with all the PTH receptors responsible for the hormone's major actions in vivo.

Synthetic parathyroid hormone fragments shortened at the amino terminus stimulate glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in the distal renal tubule

The cytochemical bioassay, using glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity in the distal convoluted tubule of a guniea pig as an index, is specific and the most sensitive method of evaluating the biological activity of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Using this method, biological activities of the amino- or carboxyl-terminal PTH fragments and analogues, human (h) PTH-(3-34), [Tyr34]hPTH-(7-34)amide(NH2), [Tyr34]hPTH-(13-34)NH2, hPTH-(39-84), hPTH-(51-84), hPTH-(69-84), were tested over a concentration range of 10(-16) to 10(-13) M. In addition, the combined effect of these hormones with human or bovine PTH-(1-84) and the effect of dibutyryl (Bu)2) cAMP were also evaluated. In the 14-min time-course study, amino-terminal PTH fragments and analogues induced cyclic changes of G6PD activity with shorter cycle lengths in higher concentrations and with constant peak heights regardless of the concentrations. Human and bovine PTH-(1-84) showed the same activity on G6PD activation at 6 min. hPTH-(3-34), [Tyr34]hPTH-(7-34)NH2, and [Tyr34]hPTH-(13-34)NH2 were equipotent with PTH-(1-84) on a molar basis, and none of these analogues inhibited PTH-(1-84) even with doses up to 240 times that of PTH-(1-84). Carboxyl-terminal PTH showed no effect. (Bu)2cAMP mimicked the effect of PTH-(1-84) on G6PD activation in time course and dose response. We conclude that the amino terminus is not essential for the biological activity of PTH in the cytochemical bioassay.

Comparisons of avian renal responses to bovine parathyroid extract, synthetic bovine (1-34) parathyroid hormone, and synthetic human (1-34) parathyroid hormone

The structure of avian parathyroid hormone (PTH) is only partially known, therefore studies of the avian renal responses to PTH have been conducted using bovine parathyroid extract (bPTE), synthetic human PTH (h(1-34)PTH), and synthetic bovine PTH (b(1-34)PTH). In vitro studies indicate that these peptides may have quite different chick kidney receptor binding affinities and adenylate cyclase activation potencies. In the present study, the in vivo renal responses to bPTE, b(1-34)PTH, and h(1-34)PTH have been compared in immature domestic fowl. The following parameters were evaluated: glomerular filtration rates; renal plasma flow rates; urine pH; and fractional excretion of sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and inorganic phosphate. Overall, the different hormonal peptides elicited qualitatively similar responses: they all were phosphaturic, natriuretic, diuretic, hypomagnesiuric, hypocalciuric, and kaliuretic. This is the first study to show an effect of PTH on renal magnesium transport in avian species. Quantitative comparisons make it clear that bPTE is more natriuretic and diuretic, but less phosphaturic than either b(1-34)PTH or h(1-34)PTH. A temporal dissociation of the phosphaturic response from the other mineral and electrolyte responses suggests that the phosphaturic response is mediated by a separate mechanism.

Failure of parathyroid hormone antagonists to inhibit in vitro bone resorbing activity produced by two animal models of the humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy

The humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) is caused by tumor cells that release a circulating factor which stimulates osteoclastic bone resorption. Recently, it has been reported that tumors associated with HHM contain factors that stimulate renal and bone cell adenylate cyclase. The activity was inhibited by parathyroid hormone (PTH) antagonists, and this led to the hypothesis that hypercalcemia is due to bone resorbing factors that engage PTH receptors in bone. Since it is not known whether the bone resorbing factors act via PTH receptors in bone, we examined the effects of PTH antagonists on PTH-stimulated bone resorption and bone resorbing activity that was produced by two tumor models of HHM which also release these adenylate cyclase stimulating factors. The PTH antagonists [8,18norleucine, 34tyrosine]bovine PTH (3-34) amide and [34tyrosine]bovine PTH (7-34) completely inhibited PTH-stimulated bone resorption. Neither antagonist inhibited bone resorption that was stimulated by the conditioned medium from cells that were derived from the Walker rat 256 tumor model of HHM. Both antagonists also failed to inhibit bone resorption that was stimulated by culture media from cells that were derived from the rat Leydig cell tumor. These data suggest that in these two models of HHM, the bone resorbing factors do not exert their effects by interacting with PTH receptors on bone.

Effects of bPTH fragments (1-34), (3-34) and (7-34) on uterine contraction

Synthetic bovine parathyroid hormone containing the NH2 terminal 34 amino acids [bPTH-(1-34)] was recently demonstrated to inhibit oxytocin stimulated uterine contraction in vitro. The parathyroid hormone analogues [Nle8, Nle18, Tyr34]bPTH-(3-34)amide [NTA-(3-34)] and [Tyr34]bPTH-(7-34)amide [NTA-(7-34)] have been reported to act as inhibitors of antagonists of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in numerous assays. In the present study the effects of these PTH analogues on uterine contraction and the ability of these analogues to act as antagonists to the uterine inhibitory action of bPTH-(1-34) in vitro were investigated. The NTA-(3-34) fragment had no effect on oxytocin stimulated uterine contractions. However, the NTA-(3-34) fragment was able to alter the ability of bPTH (1-34) to reduce oxytocin stimulated uterine contraction in a dose-related manner. Bovine PTH(1-34) (0.3 microgram/ml) reduced the contractile response obtained with oxytocin (0.5 mU/ml) by 20%. A dose of 15 micrograms/ml) of NTA-(3-34) abolished this inhibitory action of bPTH-(1-34) on oxytocin stimulated uterine contraction. In contrast the NTA-(7-34) caused a change in itself, stimulated contraction of resting uterine horns in a dose-related manner; 3.0 micrograms/ml of NTA-(7-34) caused a change in gram tension of + 1.5 grams. Bovine PTH-(1-34) was able to reduce the uterine contraction stimulated by NTA-(7-34) and 0.3 microgram/ml of bPTH-(1-34) reduced the contractile response obtained with 3.0 micrograms/ml of NTA-(7-34) by as much as 70%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bioassay of hormones

Bioassay of hormones has a small but important role in defining the physiologic status of selected patients in whom immunoassay results do not correlate with clinical signs and symptoms. This article reviews three sensitive bioassays for hormones, which are based on 1) stimulation of adenylate cyclase in membrane preparations, 2) cytochemical changes in fresh tissue segments or sections, and 3) stimulation of cell replication in the Nb2 lymphoma cell culture. The adenylate cyclase assay using kidney membranes can measure parathyroid hormone (PTH), whereas assays using thyroid membranes can measure both thyrotropin (TSH) and thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins (TSI). The cytochemical assay methods can measure numerous hormones, but the two most promising assays for clinical use are the PTH assay using guinea pig distal convoluted renal tubules and TSH/TSI assay using thyroid follicles. The Nb2 lactogenic assay is sensitive to biologic concentrations of growth hormone, prolactin, and human placental lactogen.

A parathyroid hormone inhibitor in vivo: design and biological evaluation of a hormone analog

A synthetic analog of bovine parathyroid hormone (bPTH), [tyrosine-34] bPTH-(7-34)NH2, was found to inhibit parathyroid hormone action in vivo. When the analog and parathyroid hormone were infused simultaneously to rats at a molar ratio of 200 to 1, the analog inhibited the excretion of urinary phosphate and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate. When infused alone at the same dose rate, the analog was devoid of agonist activity. The compound was prepared by following design principles developed for inhibitors of parathyroid hormone, and is believed to be the first antagonist of parathyroid hormone that is effective in vivo.

A multiresponse parathyroid hormone assay: an inhibitor has agonist properties in vivo

Vitamin D-deficient rats subjected to thyroparathyroidectomy (TPTX) were used to evaluate in vivo the biological properties of native bovine parathyroid hormone (bPTH) and chemically synthesized fragments and analogues of the hormone on several parameters of hormone action: calcium and phosphorus fluxes, generation of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP), and the metabolism of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3]. Vitamin D-deficient rats, after TPTX or sham operation, were intravenously infused with a nutrient containing 7.5 mM CaCl2 for 30 h. During the last 7 h, PTH or one of its analogues was infused intravenously at rates between 0.04 and 20 nmol/h. One hour after the start of the peptide infusion, tritiated 25(OH)D3 was injected. Urine was collected hourly for phosphate and cAMP determinations and, at the end of the experiment, blood was obtained to determine the relative accumulation of tritiated 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 ([3H]1,25(OH)2D3). Infusion of bPTH-(1--84), bPTH-(1--34), human (h)PTH-(1--34), or [Nle8, Nle18, Tyr34]bPTH-(1--34) amide was accompanied by a comparable dose-dependent decrease in plasma phosphate and a dose-dependent increase in plasma calcium and [3H]-1,25(OH)2D3, and urinary excretion of phosphate and cAMP. An evaluation of [Nle8, Nle18, Tyr34]bPTH-(3--34) amide, a potent inhibitor of PTH action in vitro in the renal adenylate cyclase assay, revealed that the analogue possessed weak agonist properties in vivo. The analogue increased excretion of both cAMP and phosphate in the urine, decreased plasma phosphate levels, and increased the accumulation of [3H]-1,25(OH)2D3 in the plasma. This multiparameter model system should aid in the elucidation of the in vivo biological effects of PTH and its analogues.