title: Mutation and expression analysis of corticotropin-releasing factor 1 receptor in adrenocorticotropin-secreting pituitary adenomas.
abstract: The present study was designed to investigate a possible role of CRF1 receptors (CRF1-R) in the pathogenesis of Cushing's disease. ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas and nonsecreting pituitary adenomas have been analyzed for mutations in the CRF1-R gene by PCR and sequencing and been compared with the sequences of normal anterior pituitaries. No mutations affecting the CRF1-R protein have been found in all tumors analyzed. However, we found a significant overexpression of the CRF1-R messenger RNA in ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas vs. inactive adenomas and normal pituitaries. We conclude that mutations of the CRF1-R are unlikely to be involved in Cushing's disease. We suggest that the overexpression of the CRF1-R messenger RNA may be related to a disturbed receptor regulation in ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Magdeburg University Hospital, Germany. dieteric@hermes.med.uni-magdeburg.de
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Dieterich
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Gundelfinger
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Lüdecke
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lehnert
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone