Continuous culture of parathyroid cells has proven difficult, regardless from which species the cells are derived. In the present study, we have used a defined serum-free low calcium containing medium to culture human parathyroid cells obtained from patients with parathyroid adenomas due to primary hyperparathyroidism. No fibroblast overgrowth occurred, and the human parathyroid chief cells proliferated until confluent. After the first passage the cells ceased to proliferate, but still retained their functional capacity up to 60 days, demonstrated by Ca(2+)-sensitive changes in the release of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and as adequate cytoplasmic calcium ([Ca2+](i)) responses to changes in ambient calcium as measured by microfluorimetry. Low calcium concentrations enhanced, and vitamin D(3) and retinoic acids (RA) dose-dependently inhibited cell proliferation during the first passage, as determined by [(3)H]thymidine incorporation, immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cell counting. Signs of differentiation were present as the set-points, defined as the external calcium concentration at which half-maximal stimulation of [Ca2+](i) (set-point(c)), or half-maximal inhibition of PTH release (set-point(p)) occur, were higher in not proliferating compared with proliferating cells in P0. Inhibition of cell proliferation was accompanied by signs of left-shifted set-points, indicating a link between proliferation and differentiation. The results demonstrate that human parathyroid chief cells cultured in a defined serum-free medium can be kept viable for a considerable time, and that signs of differentiation occur after proliferation has ceased. The low calcium stimulated cell proliferation may also be inhibited by vitamin D and RA.

ABSTRACT

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) release and cytoplasmic calcium concentrations were investigated at ambient calcium concentrations of 0·5–3·0 mmol/l in dispersed parathyroid cells from 44 hypercalcaemic patients with primary or uraemic hyperparathyroidism (HPT). In comparison with parathyroid cells from adult cattle, release of PTH by human preparations was reduced and values of the ambient calcium concentration causing half-maximal inhibition of PTH release (median effective dose, ED₅₀) were significantly increased. Half-maximal inhibition of PTH release was obtained with concentrations of cytoplasmic calcium almost identical to the concentrations of ionized calcium in the plasma of the individual patients. Cytoplasmic concentrations of calcium in the parathyroid cells were inversely related to release of PTH. Concentrations of cytoplasmic calcium were significantly lower in human than in bovine cells and the ED₅₀ for ambient calcium increase on cytoplasmic calcium was raised to the same extent as the ED₅₀ for ambient calcium inhibition of PTH release in human compared with bovine cells. The magnitude of the increased ED₅₀ for ambient calcium inhibition of PTH release and increase of cytoplasmic calcium concentration was similar in adenomas and sporadic as well as hereditary primary hyperplasias, but the secretion was the least aberrant in uraemic hyperplasias, although they had by far the largest glandular mass. Serum concentrations of total calcium before surgery correlated with the ED₅₀ for ambient calcium effects of PTH release and cytoplasmic calcium, but not with glandular weight. These findings demonstrate a universally abnormal regulation of cytoplasmic calcium in HPT and its importance for PTH release, and that disturbance of cytoplasmic calcium rather than the increased glandular mass contributes to the hypercalcaemia in adenomatous and hyperplastic HPT.

J. Endocr. (1988) 116, 457–464