[Expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma in human pituitary adenomas and its correlation to tumor invasiveness].
OBJECTIVE
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) is a nuclear transcription factor. Its ligant can inhibit proliferation and enhance differentiation of tumor cells, which plays crucial roles in metastasis and invasion of tumors. This study was to investigate the expression of PPARgamma in human pituitary adenomas and its clinical significance.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to investigate the expression of PPARgamma protein in 78 human pituitary adenomas, including 41 invasive and 37 non-invasive cases. The expression levels of PPARgamma mRNA in 33 human pituitary adenomas, including 16 invasive and 17 non-invasive cases, and three normal pituitary tissues obtained from autopsy were confirm by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of PPARgamma in invasive and non-invasive pituitary adenomas was analyzed by Chi2 test and t test of the fourfold table.


RESULTS
The positive rate of PPARgamma protein was significantly higher in invasive pituitary adenomas than in non-invasive ones (68.09% vs. 38.71%,P<0.05). The PPARgamma mRNA level was significantly higher in pituitary adenomas than in normal pituitary tissues (2.99+/-0.18 vs. 1.55+/-0.25, P<0.05), and higher in invasive pituitary adenomas than in non-invasive cases (3.95+/-0.43 vs. 2.40+/-0.24, P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
PPARgamma is highly expressed in human pituitary adenomas, especially in the invasive ones. PPARgamma may be used as a new target for the treatment of pituitary adenomas.
Department of Neurosurgery, People's Hospital of Hainan Province, Haikou, Hainan 570311, P. R. China. ledongren@yahoo.com.cn
Chui-Xue
CX
Huang
Yong-Hong
YH
Hou
Jian-Nong
JN
Zhao
Yu-Tian
YT
Wang
Jun-Ju
JJ
Li
Li
L
Wen
D000236:Adenoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
D047495:PPAR gamma; D012333:RNA, Messenger