Effect of Gonadotropin and Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Secretion on Invasiveness of Clinically Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas: A Cell Culture Study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to clarify the correlation between clinical features (especially cyst formation and cavernous sinus invasion) and minor secretion of anterior pituitary hormones, especially adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and gonadotropin, by clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (CNFPAs) in cell culture.


METHODS
We examined anterior pituitary hormones secreted by samples from 63 cases of CNFPAs grown in cell culture. Magnetic resonance imaging, including determination of the Knosp grade, cystic changes, and intraoperative cavernous sinus invasion, was performed.


RESULTS
Detection of minor hormone secretion using cell culture showed that 61.9% (39/63) of CNFPAs secreted luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone, 44.4% (28/63) secreted ACTH, 57.1% (36/63) secreted prolactin, and 28.6% (18/63) secreted growth hormone; only 1 case of the null-cell adenoma was observed (1.6%). Cystic changes, Knosp grade 4 status, and cavernous sinus invasion were predominantly observed in cases of ACTH-secreting adenomas. Gonadotropin-secreting adenomas showed opposite characteristics to ACTH-secreting adenomas.


CONCLUSIONS
Minor secretion of ACTH and gonadotropin may be related to clinical features, especially cystic changes and invasiveness of CNFPAs, suggesting that our cell culture method could be helpful for elucidating the mechanisms of pituitary cyst formation and the invasiveness of CNFPAs.
Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Science, Hiroshima University, Minami-Ku, Hiroshima, Japan. Electronic address: usui@hiroshima-u.ac.jp.
Satoshi
S
Usui
Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Science, Hiroshima University, Minami-Ku, Hiroshima, Japan.
Seiji
S
Hama
Department of Neurosurgery, Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
Atsushi
A
Tominaga
Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Science, Hiroshima University, Minami-Ku, Hiroshima, Japan.
Yasuyuki
Y
Kinoshita
Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Science, Hiroshima University, Minami-Ku, Hiroshima, Japan.
Kaoru
K
Kurisu
D000236:Adenoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects*; D055815:Young Adult
D006062:Gonadotropins; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone
Adrenocorticotropic hormone; Cell culture; Follicle-stimulating hormone; Gonadotropin; Nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma