title: Dopamine D2 receptor expression in the corticotroph cells of the human normal pituitary gland.
abstract: The dopamine D2receptor is the main dopamine receptor expressed in the human normal pituitary gland. The aim of the current study was to evaluate dopamine D2receptor expression in the corticotroph cell populations of the anterior lobe and pars intermedia, as well as posterior lobe of the human normal pituitary gland by immunohistochemistry. Human normal pituitary gland samples obtained from routine autopsies were used for the study. In all cases, histology together with immunostaining for adrenocorticotropic hormone, melanocyte-stimulating hormone, prolactin, and neurofilaments were performed and compared to the immunostaining for D2receptor. D2receptor was heterogeneously expressed in the majority of the cell populations of the anterior and posterior lobe as well as in the area localized between the anterior and posterior lobe, and arbitrary defined as "intermediate zone". This zone, characterized by the presence of nerve fibers included the residual pars intermedia represented by the colloid-filled cysts lined by the remnant melanotroph cells strongly expressing D2receptors, and clusters of corticotroph cells, belonging to the anterior lobe but localized within the cysts and adjacent to the posterior lobe, variably expressing D2receptors. D2dopamine receptor is expressed in the majority of the cell populations of the human normal pituitary gland, and particularly, in the different corticotroph cell populations localized in the anterior lobe and the intermediate zone of the pituitary gland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. rosario.pivonello@unina.it.|Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Università Federico II di Napoli, Naples, Italy. rosario.pivonello@unina.it.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pivonello
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marlijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waaijers
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kros
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Università Federico II di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pivonello
authors.affiliation: I.O.S & COLEMAN Srl , Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Angelis
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Università Federico II di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cozzolino
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Università Federico II di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colao
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Steven W J
authors.initials: SWJ
authors.lastname: Lamberts
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Leo J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hofland
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D052680:Corticotrophs / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism; D052716:Pituitary Gland, Intermediate / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C581293:DRD2 protein, human; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones
keywords: ACTH; Corticotroph cells; Cushing’s syndrome; Dopamine agonists; Dopamine receptors; Pituitary