Neuronal differentiation and expression of neural epitopes in pituitary adenomas.
Neural transdifferentiation is increasingly recognized in neural crest and neural stem cell tumors. Neuronal differentiation has been anecdotally described primarily in somatotroph cell adenomas associated with acromegaly, but its prevalence in adenomas and relationship to adenoma type has not been completely established. In this study we performed a retrospective morphological and immunohistochemical analysis of neurofilament, phosphoneurofilament, Neu-N, class III tubulin, and Hu in WHO grade I pituitary adenomas. Limited numbers of cells with neuronal features and neuron-associated epitopes may be more common in pituitary adenomas than previously recognized. These may occur in many forms of adenomas including somatotroph, lactotroph, mixed somatotroph and lactotroph, null cell/gonadotroph cell and, rarely, corticotroph cell adenomas.
Johnson
Mahlon D
MD
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave., Box 626, Rochester, NY 14623, USA. mahlon_johnson@urmc.rochester.edu
Fan
Xuemo
X
Bourne
Pat
P
Walters
Daniele
D
D049913:ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D052681:Gonadotrophs / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000906:Antibodies; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000939:Epitopes; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D011388:Prolactin