Specific spillover at the hormone receptor - exploring its role in human disease

Article Abstract:

Hormones are substances which travel in the bloodstream to organs located throughout the body, to regulate activities within organs or stimulate the release of additional hormones. Hormones have a special affinity for biochemical receptor sites on specific organs and under normal healthy conditions, this relationship remains in balance. Occasionally, disease can cause an increase in the secretion of a certain hormone, and the horomone can interact with the receptor for a different hormone causing the receptor site to be activated by a signal designed for another hormone. This cross-reaction or spillover can cause abnormal biological effects of the second hormone.Three examples are discussed to illustrate this concept. Acromegaly, a disease characterized by excess growth hormone, can have associated increases of prolactin, causing in women infertility, lack of menstrual cycles, and excessive discharge of milk from the breasts. These structurally similar hormones (growth hormone and prolactin) bind to each other's receptors. Patients with trophoblastic cancers (trophoblastomas, due to excessive proliferation of cells in the membrane around the embryo) secrete the hormone human gonadotrophin (HCG). These patients also have abnormal thyroid function caused by the structurally similar thyroid-stimulating hormone. Similar phenomena occur in patients with hypoglycemia caused by the over production of insulin-like growth factor and extrapancreatic cancers. This hormone spillover effect may be present in other diseases besides the three examples here.

Analysis, Hormone receptors, Somatotropin, Structure-activity relationships (Biochemistry), Binding sites (Biochemistry), Active sites (Biochemistry), Prolactin, Chorionic gonadotropin, Chorionic gonadotropins, Hyperthyroidism, column

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Impaired counterregulation of glucose in a patient with hypothalamic sarcoidosis

Article Abstract:

A case is described of a 31-year-old woman who did not have the usual physiological response to hypoglycemia because she had sarcoidosis in her hypothalamus. Normally when blood sugar levels fall, an area of the brain called the hypothalamus produces hormones that raise blood sugar levels. During hospital examination for other problems, this woman was found to have low blood sugar levels even though she had no symptoms of hypoglycemia. She had a history of sarcoidosis, a disease that usually affects the lungs but can also occur in other tissues. In her case, the disease had spread to her hypothalamus.

Abnormalities, Glucose metabolism, Sarcoidosis

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Tumor-induced hypoglycemia

Article Abstract:

A non-islet-cell tumor should be considered in patients who have low blood sugar, excessive blood insulin levels and no history of insulin use. Most tumors that cause excessive insulin levels are located in the islet cells of the pancreas, where insulin is produced. However, tumors in other parts of the body can also cause excess insulin production. These tumors can also produce insulin-like growth factor (IGF) II, which can also cause hypoglycemia when produced in high quantities. A 1999 study reported a case of a woman who had excessive insulin levels produced by a cervical tumor.

Editorial, Tumors

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