Presence of immunoreactive luteinizing hormone-releasing factor in hydatidiform mole as compared with normal human trophoblastic tissue.

Abstract

Concentrations of luteinizing hormone-releasing factor (LRF) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) were measured by specific radioimmunoassay in homogenates of molar tissue evacuated from four patients at eight to 16 weeks of pregnancy (by menstrual dates), and in normal trophoblastic tissue of equivalent gestational age. In normal trophoblastic tissue HCG concentrations decreased, while LRF concentrations increased, with advancing gestational age. Molar tissue contained high quantities of HCG (2292 +/- 1415 s.e.(mean) iu/g wet weight vs 355 +/- 129 in the placenta) and very low, but consistently measureable, quantities of LRF (23.4 +/- 6.7 pg/g vs 12,808 +/- 2931 in the placenta). The significance of our finding of high HCG concentrations in the presence of low concentrations of LRF in neoplastic trophoblastic tissue is being further investigated.