Chemical Nature of Parathyroid Hormone

Abstract

MOST of the data accumulated in the past thirty-two years¹ has led to the conclusion that parathyroid hormone is a protein. In 1954, Handler, Cohn and Dratz² attempted to purify this hormone by means of ion-exchange chromatography, but found hormonal activity associated with a number of protein peaks. On the basis of their results, they suggested that the hormonal activity might reside in a smaller molecule, presumably not necessarily nitrogenous, which readily absorbs on proteins. Raoul, Mornay and Prelot³ have recently claimed to have prepared, by two different lipid extraction methods, a highly active material which did not contain nitrogen. On the basis of unreported evidence, they suggested that this active substance was steroidal in nature. Since the D vitamins, which are steroid, closely mimic, in some respects, the action of parathyroid hormone on bone and kidney, the possibility that this hormone is a steroid merits consideration.