Abstract
We previously reported a substantial correlation between serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and the myeloma response to proteasome inhibition that suggests a crucial role for the PTH receptor 1 system in the control of myeloma tumor growth. While investigating the role of PTH in the antimyeloma effect, we observed the recovery of serum PTH levels after thyroparathyroidectomy (TPTX). Although the presence of thymus-derived PTH has been reported previously, the existence or role of thymic PTH in the serum remains controversial. Here, TPTX was performed in 8- to 12-week-old C57BL/KaLwRij mice to delineate the potential source(s) for the recovery of serum PTH. Immediately after TPTX, the expected loss of measurable serum PTH was observed. Serum PTH levels recovered 3 to 4 weeks after TPTX. Thirteen endocrine organs from mice with recovered serum PTH were examined. The thymus from control mice expressed measurable and detectable Pth transcripts; however, the Pth transcript level was substantially elevated in tissue from TPTX mice. Western blot analysis of the thymus demonstrated a reproducible and distinct PTH band in thymus tissue that was significantly increased after TPTX. To directly confirm the identity of the distinct PTH band, immunoprecipitated proteins were isolated and subjected to tandem mass spectrometry. After fragmentation and direct peptide sequencing, PTH peptides PTH(1-13) and PTH(54-70), diagnostic for PTH, were identified. These data demonstrate that the murine thymus produces PTH and that after TPTX the thymus becomes the major source of serum PTH, compensating for the loss of the parathyroid glands and returning circulating PTH levels to normal.