The characterization of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in human serum.

We describe the characterization of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SRIF-LI) found by radioimmunoassay (RIA) to be present in normal human serum. Degradation by serum of 125I-Tyr1 SRIF in the assay, as assessed by chromatoelectrophoresis and immunoprecipitation, was overcome by using EDTA in the assay buffer and Trasylol in the blood samples. Serum samples thus obtained from 48 normal subjects revealed a bimodal distribution of SRIF-LI; 92 per cent (group 1) had a mean level of 0.274 +/- 0.009 ng. per milliliter. What was measured in these sera showed identity to synthetic SRIF on serial dilutions, Sephadex G-25 chromatography, and thin-layer chromatography, and it was shown to be immunoreactive by an antibody-Sepharose affinity system. Higher levels (1.0 +/- 0.041 ng. per milliliter) were found in 8 per cent of the sera; 50 per cent of this material behaved identically as serum SRIF-LI from group 1. The remainder proved to be heterogeneous, consisting of two peaks of large molecular weight, both of which shared immunologic identity with synthetic SRIF as shown by binding to the antibody-Sepharose affinity system. Their further nature is unknown.