title: Expression and function of ErbB receptors and ligands in the pituitary.
abstract: The role of ErbB family in discreet pituitary functions is reviewed. Several ErbB receptor ligands, EGF, TGFα, and heregulin are differentially expressed in normal gonadotroph and lacto-somatotroph lineages, and other elements of the anterior pituitary. ErbB receptors, i.e. EGFR and ErbB2, are also localized to the anterior pituitary with preferential EGFR lactosomatotroph expression. EGF regulates CRH and ACTH secretion and corticotroph proliferation as well as exhibiting autocrine and paracrine effects on gonadotrophs and on lactosomatotroph proliferation, gene and protein expression, and hormonal secretion. EGF and EGFR are expressed in both functioning and non-functioning pituitary adenomas, with higher expression in more aggressive tumor subtypes. ErbB2 receptor is detected in all tumor subtypes, particularly in invasive tumors. ErbB tyrosine kinase inhibitors regulate hormonal secretion, cell morphology, and proliferation in lacto-somatotroph tumors, reflecting the emerging application of targeted pituitary therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Pituitary Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Academic Affairs, Room 2015, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA.
authors.forename: Odelia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vlotides
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuoka
authors.forename: Mark I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melmed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D018739:Oncogene Proteins v-erbB / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D020890:Neuregulin-1; D018739:Oncogene Proteins v-erbB; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha