M. Nishiki et al., Serum antibodies to human pituitary membrane antigens in patients with autoimmune lymphocytic hypophysitis and infundibuloneurohypophysitis, CLIN ENDOCR, 54(3), 2001, pp. 327-333
OBJECTIVE Serum antipituitary antibodies were investigated by the immunoblo
tting method using human anterior pituitary membrane preparation as the ant
igen.
PATIENTS Thirteen patients with autoimmune lymphocytic hypophysitis, two pa
tients with infundibuloneurohypophysitis, four patients with isolated ACTH
deficiency, 21 patients with diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2) and 38 h
ealthy subjects were studied.
METHODS Human pituitary membrane antigens were electrophoresed by sodium do
decylsulphate-polyacrimide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The antigens wer
e transferred to polyvinylidene difluoride membrane and reacted with the se
ra followed by incubation with biotinylated anti-human IgG goat serum.
RESULTS Serum antibodies to 68, 49, 43 kD human pituitary membrane antigens
were detected in five of 13, one of 12 patients with infundibuloneurohypop
hysitis and none of four patients with isolated ACTH deficiency. These anti
bodies were not detectable when human thyroid, liver or rat pituitary prepa
rations were used as the antigen.
CONCLUSION These findings suggest that serum antibodies to 68, 49, 43 kD hu
man anterior pituitary antigen are specific but not so frequently detected
in autoimmune lymphocytic hypophysitis.