THE PATHOGENESIS OF PITUITARY-ADENOMAS

Citation
I. Morangeramos et al., THE PATHOGENESIS OF PITUITARY-ADENOMAS, Annales d'Endocrinologie, 55(1), 1994, pp. 25-32
Citations number
102
Categorie Soggetti
Endocrynology & Metabolism
Journal title
ISSN journal
00034266
Volume
55
Issue
1
Year of publication
1994
Pages
25 - 32
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-4266(1994)55:1<25:TPOP>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
In this present work, the authors discuss some recent advances in the pathogenesis of pituitary tumours. The model of transgenic mices sugge st that chronic hormonal stimulation and some growth factors could sus tain pituitary tumour development. However, these data are not suitabl e for human pituitary adenomas. The evidence that most pituitary adeno mas are monoclonal in origin has prompted a search for somatic mutatio ns. The mutated Gs alpha are found in only 30-40% of somatotroph adeno mas and the ras mutations seem to be associated with the malignant tra nsformation. In some prolactinomas resistant to the bromocriptine trea tment, quantitative and qualitative alterations of the dopamine recept or D2, have been described. Mutations of protein kinase C have been id entified in some invasive pituitary tumours. Molecular abnormalities h ave been reported in some cases (allele loss at the 11q13 locus, retin oblastoma gene mutation, aberrant expression of hst gene, Pit-1 overex pression) but none by itself can explain the tumour formation. The pit uitary tumorigenesis is certainly a multistep process with the interve ntion of multiple promoting factors.