Histologic and immunohistochemical study of clinically non-functioning pituitary adenomas: special reference to gonadotropin-positive adenomas.
Seventy-five clinically non-functioning pituitary adenomas were characterized in terms of their histologic and immunohistochemical features. Fourteen adenomas (18.7%) were positive for hormones other than gonadotropins. These included two somatotroph adenomas, three lactotroph adenomas, four thyrotroph adenomas, four corticotroph adenomas and one unusual plurihormonal adenoma. Fifty-five adenomas (73.3%) were exclusively positive for one or more gonadotropin subunits (beta-follicle stimulating hormone, beta-luteinizing hormone, and alpha-subunit of glycoprotein hormones), but negative for other hormones such as growth hormone and beta-thyrotropin. Histologically, a papillary arrangement along the capillary was most characteristically observed in the gonadotropin-positive adenomas. Five of six adenomas negative for any pituitary hormones exhibited the typical papillary structure. Thus, approximately 80% of clinically non-functioning adenomas constituted a single tumor group that shared the common histologic features of gonadotroph adenomas. These findings suggest that nearly all tumor types of clinically non-functioning adenomas can be diagnosed solely by light microscopy in combination with immunohistochemistry, and that the vast majority of them may be gonadotroph adenomas.
Sano
T
T
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, Japan.
Yamada
S
S
D000236:Adenoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000096:biosynthesis
D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin