Elevated intravesicular fluid luteinizing hormone concentration in hydatidiform mole.

Concentrations of human chorionic gonadotrophin (beta-hCG), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin (PRL) were measured by radioimmunoassay in the serious fluid of hydatid vesicles obtained from 27 patients with hydatidiform mole. High amounts of all four hormones were found in every case. The mean concentrations +/- SEM were 710.8 +/- 100.8 i.u./1 X 10(-3) for beta-hCG, 13.8 +/- 0.3 i.u./1 for FSH, 302.2 +/- 34.5 i.u./1 X 10(-3) for LH and 2610.8 +/- 562.1 m-i.u./1 for PRL. It is suggested that aberrations in the mechanisms controlling the synthesis and release of luteinizing hormone-releasing factor (LH-RF) could result in chronically elevated LH levels leading to changes characteristic of the disease.