title: Increased serum interleukin-22 levels in patients with PRL-secreting and non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas.
abstract: Cytokines' involvement in tumorigenesis has been hypothesized. Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is implicated in proliferative and anti-apoptotic pathways via its receptor IL-22R. Its role in pituitary adenomas has never been investigated. Twenty-seven patients with pituitary macroadenomas (PA, 21 males, mean age 53.8 ± 14.4 years) and 30 healthy controls (19 males, mean age 50.4 ± 8.4 years) were enrolled. Out of 27 PA patients, 17 had a non-functioning tumour (NFPA) and 10 a PRL-secreting adenoma (PRL-oma). Serum IL-22 levels were measured in both patients and controls. Immunohistochemical (IHC) tumoral IL-22R expression was evaluated in 10 patients with NFPA and 4 with PRL-oma. IL-22 levels were significantly higher in PA patients than in controls [32.47 (11.29-70.12) vs. 5.58 (0.19-21.46) pg/mL, p < 0.0001] but did not correlate with tumor maximum diameter and were not associated to pituitary function impairment. PRL-oma patients had significantly higher IL-22 levels than NFPA patients [37.18 (14.82-70.12) vs. 21.29 (11.29-56) pg/mL, p = 0.039]. IHC revealed a strong IL-22R staining in 100 % of PRL-omas and 60 % of NFPAs. We provide the first evidence of increased serum IL-22 levels in patients with pituitary macroadenoma, especially in PRL-omas, regardless of tumor size and/or degree of pituitary function impairment. We also demonstrated the expression of IL22R in all PRL-omas and in 60 % of NFPAs.
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico "G. Martino" (Pad. H, floor 4), Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cannavo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrau
authors.forename: O R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Cotta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barresi
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cristani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saija
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trimarchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangemi
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000097:blood*; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D000097043:Interleukin-22; C415369:interleukin-22 receptor