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HPLC-RIA analysis of the ectopic cortisol production in a cancerous pancreas tumor.

Szécsi M, Tóth I, Gardi J, Vecsernyés M, Németh J, Julesz J

Endocrine Unit and Research Laboratory, University of Szeged, 8 Korányi fasor, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary. szecsim@endoc.szote.u-szeged.hu

Steroidal pathophysiology of a malignant, ACTH-producing pancreas tumor was investigated via HPLC-RIA determinations of intratissular concentrations of eleven main steroid hormones. The tumor specimen underwent extraction procedure with ethyl acetate and the extract was purified on a C18 minicolumn. Steroids were isolated by HPLC (C18-silica reversed phase stationary phase and methanol-water eluent system) and quantified by specific RIAs. Cortisol content of the tumor specimen was 15,700 pmol/g, the further steroid hormones were found in much lower concentrations (< 1.5-28 pmol/g). The extremely high cortisol concentration in the tissue witnesses the synthesis of the main glucocorticoid steroid in the ACTH-producing pancreas tumor and suggests a stimulating paracrine effect of ACTH on cortisol production. The present data verify that the determination of intratissular steroid concentrations by HPLC-RIA methods may identify even the most peculiar hormone sources and the hormone profiles facilitate studying pathophysiology of ectopic endocrine tumors.

Published 9 October 2006 in J Biochem Biophys Methods, 69(1): 51-5.
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