RADIOIMMUNOASSAY STUDY OF NEUROPHYSINS IN HUMAN PLASMA

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Abstract
Using a homologous system a specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay for the measurement of 1 of the human neurophysins in unextracted human plasma was developed. This neurophysin is specifically secreted in response to estrogen and has therefore been referred to as human estrogen-stimulated neurophysin (h-OeSN). The plasma concentration was 0.57 .+-. 0.17 ng/ml (SD) in females and 0.88 .+-. 0.76 ng/ml (SD) in males. This difference is not significant. In women on oral contraceptives, plasma h-OeSN was 2.0 .+-. 1.1 ng/ml. During pregnancy h-OeSN increased progressively to 3.7 .+-. 2.9 ng/ml at the end of the 1st trimester, and 5.2 .+-. 2.8 ng/ml at term. Plasma h-OeSN concentrations increased rapidly and markedly in men treated with ethinyl-estradiol. The presence of h-OeSN in amniotic and CSF. A 2nd human neurophysin, which is stimulated by nicotine but not by estrogen, was also measured. This neurophysin was monitored by a heterologous system using antiserum raised against bovine neurophysin II (b-NII) and b-NII as the standard and tracer.