Immunodetection of Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein in Plasma and Tissues of an Elasmobranch (Scyliorhinus canicula)

We have used antiserum to human parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) (1-16) to examine tissues and plasma of the dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) for the presence of immunoreactive PTHrP (irPTHrP). The plasma contained high concentrations of irPTHrP (9.34 ± 0.37 pM), comparable to levels in humans with hypercalcaemia of malignancy. Other tissues with irPTHrP included brain neurones; epithelial cells of the saccus vasculosus, kidney, rectal gland and choroid plexus; and cells of the pituitary pars distalis. PTHrP was not detected in gut, skin, oviduct, and gill epithelia, nor in branchial cartilage. The principal source(s) of plasma PTHrP is not known.