title: Programmed cell senescence: role of IL-6 in the pituitary.
abstract: IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine with multiple pathophysiological functions. As a key factor of the senescence secretome, it can not only promote tumorigenesis and cell proliferation but also exert tumor suppressive functions, depending on the cellular context. IL-6, as do other cytokines, plays important roles in the function, growth and neuroendocrine responses of the anterior pituitary gland. The multiple actions of IL-6 on normal and adenomatous pituitary function, cell proliferation, angiogenesis and extracellular matrix remodeling indicate its importance in the regulation of the anterior pituitary. Pituitary tumors are mostly benign adenomas with low mitotic index and rarely became malignant. Premature senescence occurs in slow-growing benign tumors, like pituitary adenomas. The dual role of IL-6 in senescence and tumorigenesis is well represented in pituitary tumor development, as it has been demonstrated that effects of paracrine IL-6 may allow initial pituitary cell growth, whereas autocrine IL-6 in the same tumor triggers senescence and restrains aggressive growth and malignant transformation. IL-6 is instrumental in promotion and maintenance of the senescence program in pituitary adenomas.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck SocietyBuenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sapochnik
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck SocietyBuenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuertes
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck SocietyBuenos Aires, Argentina earzt@ibioba-mpsp-conicet.gov.ar.|Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y CelularFacultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arzt
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D019898:Autocrine Communication / Q000235:genetics; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000235:genetics*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019899:Paracrine Communication / Q000235:genetics; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
keywords: IL-6; autocrine; pituitary tumor; senescence