title: Prolactin gene expression in primary central nervous system tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prolactin (PRL) is a hormone synthesized in both the pituitary gland and extrapituitary sites. It has been associated with the occurrence of neoplasms and, more recently, with central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms. The aim of this study was to evaluate prolactin expression in primary central nervous system tumors through quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry (IH).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient mean age was 49.1 years (SD 15.43), and females accounted for 70% of the sample. The most frequent subtype of histological tumor was meningioma (61.5%), followed by glioblastoma (22.9%). Twenty cases (28.6%) showed prolactin expression by immunohistochemistry, most of them females (18 cases, 90%). Quantitative real-time PCR did not show any prolactin expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the presence of prolactin expression by IH, the lack of its expression by quantitative real-time PCR indicates that its presence in primary tumors in CNS is not a reflex of local production.
authors: Postgraduate Program in Pathology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. grazi_mendes@hotmail.com
authors: Graziella Alebrant
authors: GA
authors: Mendes
authors: Júlia Fernanda Semmelmann
authors: JF
authors: Pereira-Lima
authors: Maria Beatriz
authors: MB
authors: Kohek
authors: Geraldine
authors: G
authors: Trott
authors: Marlise
authors: M
authors: Di Domenico
authors: Nelson Pires
authors: NP
authors: Ferreira
authors: Miriam da Costa
authors: Mda C
authors: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin