Age-related changes in nestin immunoreactivity in the rat pituitary gland.
The pituitary gland undergoes important changes in cellular plasticity throughout life, consequently leading to hormonal output changes. The intermediate filament nestin plays a crucial role in cells that retain plasticity during development, aging and tumorigenesis. Here, we describe robust nestin immunoreactivity in glial-like cells of the intermediate lobe and in the vasculature of the developing, adult and aging pituitary gland. Additionally, we report a high incidence of spontaneous hyperplastic nodules in the anterior lobe of 24-month-old rats. In the nodules, nestin immunoreactivity is increased in blood vessels and in a few endocrine cells. We also found increased accumulation of nestin in hyperplastic glial-like cells of the intermediate lobe. This study suggests that nestin in the pituitary gland is implicated in age-related cellular plasticity.
Gautron
Laurent
L
Psychoneuroimmunologie, Nutrition et Génétique, INRA UMR 1286, CNRS UMR 5226, Université Bordeaux-2, Bordeaux, France. laurent.gautron@UTSouthwestern.edu
De-Smedt
Véronique
V
Layé
Sophie
S
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D055098:Endocrine Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007211:Indoles; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D064231:Nestin; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000098:blood supply / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000378:metabolism
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007211:Indoles; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577486:Nes protein, rat; D064231:Nestin; C007293:DAPI; D013972:Thyrotropin