ISSN:
1432-0533
Keywords:
Pituitary adenoma
;
Gangliocytoma
;
Immunocytochemistry
;
Pituitary hormone
;
Neuropeptide
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Four tumors consisting of pituitary adenomatous cells (AD) intricated with ganglion cells (GC) were studied. Each case was associated with a different clinical syndrome: acromegaly, amenorrheagalactorrhea, Cushing's disease and isolated tumoral syndrome with no hormonal hypersecretion. (a) In the case with acromegaly, immunoreactive growth hormone (IR-GH) was present in 80% of AD. IR-vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was found in 5%–10% of AD and in few GC. Rare GC and processes showed IR-GH-releasing hormone (GRH),-somatostatin (SRIH),-gonadotropin-relasing hormone and-adrenocorticotropin-releasing hormone. (b) In the case with amenorrhea-glactorrhea, IR-prolactin (PRL) was seen in 90% of AD. IR-PRL and-VIP were present in rare GC. (c) In the case with Cushing's disease, 60% of AD and very few GC contained IR-adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and β-lipotropin. Rare GC processes contained IR-SRIH. (d) In the case without pituitary hormone hypersecretion, PRL was localized in rare AD and GC. Pituitary hormone and neuropeptides were nerver colocalized in the same cells. No case displayed IR-neurophysins or-thyroliberin. Pituitary hormones were localized by ultrastructural immunogold labeling. These findings show that: (i) in three cases, pituitary hormones (PRL and ACTH), and, in one case, VIP could be localized in both adenomatous and ganglion cells; (ii) the pituitary hormone-containing cells in the tumors could be related to the hypersecretory syndromes; (iii) intratumoral IR-VIP and-GRH might be involved in GH and PRL hypersecretion in the cases with acromegaly and amenorrhea-galactorrhea.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00687585
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