Follicle stimulating hormone-beta subunit gene is expressed in parallel with a transcription factor Ad4BP/SF-1 in human pituitary adenomas.
OBJECTIVE
A transcription factor Ad4BP/SF-1 is implicated in the differentiation of gonadotrophs in the pituitary gland, but it is not known whether human pituitary cells express this factor. The present study aimed to disclose (1) whether human pituitary adenomas express Ad4BP/SF-1, and (2) if this is the case, what kinds of adenoma express the factor.


METHODS
Total RNA was extracted from 23 pituitary adenomas obtained by transsphenoidal surgery, and subjected to Northern blot analyses using cDNAs of bovine Ad4BP/SF-1, porcine FSH-beta, LH-beta and glycoprotein hormone-alpha (GPH-alpha) subunts as radiolabelled probes. These adenomas included 13 clinically non-functioning adenomas, 1 GH/PRL-producing adenoma, 6 GH-producing adenomas, 2 PRL-producing adenomas and 1 ACTH-producing adenoma.


RESULTS
The expression of Ad4BP/SF-1 exactly coincided with the expression of FSH-beta. Thus 5 out of 13 clinically non-functioning adenomas expressed Ad4BP/SF-1 and only these 5 adenomas expressed FSH-beta. Interestingly, only one of the GH-producing adenomas also expressed Ad4BP/SF-1 as well as FSH-beta. GPH-alpha was expressed in 4 non-functioning adenomas and 2 hormonally functioning adenomas, but did not necessarily coincide with Ad4BP/SF-1 expression. None of the 23 adenomas we tested expressed LH-beta, probably because LH-beta-producing adenomas are rather rare.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of FSH-beta was parallel with Ad4BP/SF-1 expression, indicating that the expression of Ad4BP/SF-1 is restricted to cells derived from gonadotroph lineages in human pituitary adenomas.
Ikuyama
S
S
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kyushu University Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
Ohe
K
K
Sakai
Y
Y
Nakagaki
H
H
Fukushima
T
T
Kato
Y
Y
Morohashi
K
K
Takayanagi
R
R
Nawata
H
H
D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D051717:Fushi Tarazu Transcription Factors; D015870:Gene Expression; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000235:genetics; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D054339:Steroidogenic Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051717:Fushi Tarazu Transcription Factors; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D054339:Steroidogenic Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D013006:Growth Hormone