[The diagnostic value of the determination of cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in urine]

Abstract

Many hormones initiate their biologic actions by augmenting the intracellular concentrations of 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP). The nucleotide has been found in body fluids; its determination in plasma and urine can be performed by a rapid, simple and specific method: the cyclic AMP assay kit of the Radiochemical Centre (Amersham, England). The assay is based on the competition between unlabelled cAMP and a fixed quantity of the tritium labelled compound for binding to a bovine muscle protein which has a high specificity and affinity for cAMP. Different factors must be considered in evaluating the 24 h urinary content of the nucleotide: the renal or extrarenal origin of cAMP and the functional status of the kidneys. In basal conditions the urinary cAMP excretion is significantly correlated with creatinine excretion (n = 67; r = 0.47; p less than 0.001) thus confirming that the most part of cAMP excreted is derived from the plasma by glomerular filtration. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulates adenylate cyclase predominantly in the renal cortex, whereas vasopressin (ADH) stimulated the enzyme in the medulla; thus PTH and ADH could increase the amount of cAMP in the urine from the renal source. In a case of diabetes insipidus and infusion of ADH caused a prompt rise in cAMP urinary excretion. In 5 normals an infusion of bovine synthetic parathyroid hormone caused an increased excretion of cAMP that preceded the phosphaturic response. An infusion of salmon synthetic calcitonin caused a rise in phosphate excretion and no increase in cAMP urinary content. As it concerns the two calciotopic hormones, PTH and CT, it is reasonable to assume that renal receptors are distinct. The 24 h urinary excretion of cAMP in 55 control subjects (3613 +/- 1460 D.S. n moles) was contrasted with the lower excretion in 25 elderly subjects (70-93 years: 1804 +/- 699 n moles), with the high cAMP excretion in a patient with hyperparathyroidism (that fell to normal values following removal of the parathyroid adenoma) and with the low cAMP excretion in patients with primary or surgical hypoparathyroidism. The mean 24 h cAMP excretion in patients with renal insufficiency was significantly decreased when compared to control subjects. These findings and recent reports confirm that the 24 h urinary output of cAMP may be considered an useful index of pharathyroid function in man.