Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology

ea0015p265 | Pituitary | SFEBES2008

On the origin and nature of big prolactin

English Emma , Beltran Luisa , Mapplebeck Sarah , Smith Thomas , Halsall David , Fahie-Wilson Michael , Ahlquist James

The propensity for prolactin (PRL) to form high molecular mass complexes in serum is well described. Macroprolactin (mPRL), a PRL-immunoglobulin complex (>100 kDa), is the predominant form of PRL in up to 20% of patients with hyperprolactinaemia. Big PRL (bPRL, 40–50 kDa) is a ubiquitous, minor component of serum PRL rarely the major immunoreactive form, the nature of which is unclear. Using gel filtration chromatography (GFC) we have investigated the relative abundan...