N. Ohmori et al., CORTICOTROPIN-RELEASING FACTOR-BINDING PROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS IN PLASMA OF PATIENTS WITH HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-ADRENAL DISORDERS, Endocrine journal, 41(5), 1994, pp. 553-558
Immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing factor-binding protein (CRF-BP)
concentrations in human plasma were determined by means of radioimmun
oassay for human CRF-BP. CRF-BP antiserum to the C-terminal fragment o
f human CRF-BP (298-322) was produced, and CRF-BP (298-322) was used a
s the tracer and the standard. Large amounts of human CRF did not affe
ct measurement of plasma CRF-BP with this radioimmunoassay. The basal
plasma CRF-BP concentration in normal subjects was 4.19 +/- 0.57 nmol/
L (mean +/- SD). The CRF-BP concentration was low in patients with Cus
hing's syndrome, except those with preclinical Cushing's syndrome, and
high in patients with Addison's disease, hypopituitarism and isolated
ACTH deficiency. After surgery, the plasma CRF-BP concentration in pa
tients with Cushing's syndrome rose, peaked, and then decreased to the
control level. In patients with Addison's disease, the high plasma CR
F-BP concentration decreased to the control level after hydrocortisone
replacement, the same as plasma ACTH concentration. These findings su
ggest that the immunoreactive CRF-BP concentration in human plasma was
decreased by glucocorticoids, at least under chronic conditions.