Oestrogen, progesterone, and glucocorticoid receptors in normal and neoplastic parathyroid glands.

OBJECTIVE

To verify the presence or absence of steroid receptors in the parathyroid glands of patients undergoing operations on the parathyroid and thyroid glands.

DESIGN

Open experimental study.

SETTING

Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

MATERIAL: 165 parathyroid glands from 137 patients, 108 of whom underwent operations on the parathyroid glands and 29 on the thyroid gland.

INTERVENTIONS: Normal and neoplastic parathyroid tissue was analysed for its content of oestrogen and progesterone and glucocorticoid receptors using either ligand binding or antibodies raised against oestrogen and progesterone receptors.

RESULTS

Positive reactions to female sex steroid receptors (defined as > 0.05 fmol/microgram DNA) were uncommon (9%) regardless of the morphological classification of the glands or the age, sex, and menopausal status of the patients. Glucocorticoid receptors were detected in 107/163 (66%) of all glands analysed (mean value 0.43 fmol/micrograms DNA, range 0-44). Seventy of the 96 diseased glands (73%) contained receptors, as did 27/67 normal glands from patients with primary hyperparathyroidism or those undergoing thyroid operations. The difference was again not associated with age, sex, and menopausal status.

CONCLUSIONS

It seems unlikely that sex steroid hormones play a physiological part in the secretion of parathyroid hormone, but our finding of glucocorticoid receptors in normal as well as diseased parathyroid tissue suggests that they may have a role in the regulation of parathyroid function.