PTH Related Protein (PTHrP), Plasma

PTH (Parathyroid Hormone) Related Protein (PTHrP) is a critical regulator of cellular and organ growth, development, migration, differentiation, and survival, and of epithelial calcium ion transport. These effects are accomplished in part by autocrine / paracrine actions of several secreted forms of PTHrP on cell surface receptors. PTHrP has intracrine actions; entering the nucleus under the direction of a nuclear localisation signal. PTHrP is expressed in many normal and malignant endocrine tissues, including pancreatic islet cells and pancreatic endocrine tumours.

PTHrP is the main factor responsible for humoral hypocalcaemia of malignancy; however, it has also been found in tumours not typically associated with hypocalcaemia, such as colon, gastric, melanoma and prostate cancer. PTHrP may act as an autocrine or paracrine growth factor in malignancy independent of its hypercalcaemic effects. It is commonly expressed in human exocrine pancreatic adenocarcinoma even though these patients are usually eucalcaemic.

2 ml EDTA Plasma Frozen

< 4.0 1.5 pmol/L