Presence of immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing factor in human cerebrospinal fluid.

Immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing factor (I-CRF) was measured by radioimmunoassay and immunoaffinity chromatography in human hypothalamus and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Dilution curves of I-CRF in the hypothalamus and CSF were parallel to that of synthetic ovine CRF standard. I-CRF content in the hypothalamus was 643 and 281 fmol eq, respectively. I-CRF concentration in CSF was 7.4 +/- 1.1 fmol eq/ml. Sephadex G-75 column chromatography showed the main peak eluted at the position of synthetic CRF.