Familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA) is an autosomal dominant disease, characterized by low penetrance, early-onset disease, more invasive tumor growth, as well as somatotroph and lactotroph adenomas in most cases. It has been indicated that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein (AIP) gene is a tumor suppressor gene. Many heterozygous mutations have been discovered in AIP in about 20% of FIPA families. However, the exact molecular mechanism by which its disfunction promotes tumorigenesis of pituitary is unclear.
Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma ; genetics ; Humans ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; genetics

The Ly-6 and uPAR (LU) domain-containing proteins represent a large family of cell-surface markers. In particular, mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1 is a widely used marker for various stem cells; however, its human ortholog is missing. In this study, based on a systematic survey and comparative genomic study of mouse and human LU domain-containing proteins, we identified a previously unannotated human gene encoding the candidate ortholog of mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1. This gene, hereby named LY6A, reversely overlaps with a lncRNA gene in the majority of exonic sequences. We found that LY6A is aberrantly expressed in pituitary tumors, but not in normal pituitary tissues, and may contribute to tumorigenesis. Similar to mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1, human LY6A is also upregulated by interferon, suggesting a conserved transcriptional regulatory mechanism between humans and mice. We cloned the full-length LY6A cDNA, whose encoded protein sequence, domain architecture, and exon-intron structures are all well conserved with mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1. Ectopic expression of the LY6A protein in cells demonstrates that it acts the same as mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1 in their processing and glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchoring to the cell membrane. Collectively, these studies unveil a novel human gene encoding a candidate biomarker and provide an interesting model gene for studying gene regulatory and evolutionary mechanisms.
Humans ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Pituitary Neoplasms/genetics* ; Biomarkers

Along with the rapid development of molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, and immunology, there is a new understanding on the pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas. The pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas is considered to be related with gene mutation, growth factors, cell receptors, transcription factors, and cellular signaling pathways.
Adenoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mutation ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

DNA methylation is closely related to the genesis and development of pituitary adenoma. Studies have shown that high methylation in the promoter region of potassium voltage-gated chanel,shaker related subfamily,beta member 2,O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase,echinoderm microtubule associated protein like 2 ,ras homolog family member D ,homeobox B1 ,NNAT, and P16 inhibits the expression of these genes and regulates of the proliferation of pituitary adenoma. DNA methylation is also closely related to invasive pituitary adenoma. Therefore,further study on molecular mechanism of DNA methylation of pituitary adenoma will offer a new strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of pituitary adenoma.
Adenoma ; genetics ; DNA Methylation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo analyze different mutations in regulatory sequence of prolactin (PRL) gene during the formation of 17 beta-estradiol (E2 ) -induced prolactinoma in eutopic and ectopic pituitary of rats.

METHODSMale Sprague-Dawley rats transplanted with an isologaus pituitary under renal capsule were treated with subcutaneous implantation of an empty or E2-laden silastic capsule. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was employed to evaluate the expression of PRL mRNA in pituitary glands, and DNA sequencing was used to analyze the mutation in regulatory sequence of PRL gene.

RESULTSAfter treated with E2 for 120 days, both the eutopic and ectopic pituitaries were three times more heavier than those from control group (P < 0. 01) , and the body weight of rats was decreased to 42. 90% of the control group (P < 0 01 ). The PRL mRNA expressions in glands from the eutopic and ectopic pituitaries 120 days after treated with E2 were much more than those in untreated pituitary glands (P <0. 01). DNA sequencing showed seven mutations in the regulatory sequence of PRL gene in the eutopic pituitaries 120 days after treated with E2 , while the mutation in the ectopic pituitaries was decreased.

CONCLUSIONSProlactinomas can be induced by chronic treatment with E2 in both the eutopic and the ectopic pituitaries transplanted under renal capsule distant from the hypothalamus. Different mechanisms exist in the formation of eutopic and ectopic prolactinomas.

Animals ; Estradiol ; Male ; Mutation ; Pituitary Gland ; transplantation ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; chemically induced ; genetics ; Prolactin ; genetics ; Prolactinoma ; chemically induced ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transplantation, Homologous

The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of central nervous system (CNS) tumors incorporates morphology, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, and immunologic markers. Despite the relatively large number of CNS tumors with clonal chromosome abnormalities, only few studies have investigated cytogenetic abnormalities for CNS tumors in Korea. Thus, we investigated 119 CNS tumors by conventional G-banded karyotypes to characterize patterns of chromosomal abnormalities involving various CNS tumors, and 92.4% of them were cultured and karyotyped successfully. Totally, 51.8% of karyotypable CNS tumors showed abnormal cytogenetic results, including neuroepithelial tumors (75.0%), meningeal tumors (71.1%), pituitary adenomas (4.2%), schwannomas (44.4%), and metastatic tumors (100.0%). Glioblastomas had hyperdiploid, complex karyotypes, mainly involving chromosomes Y, 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, and 14. Monosomy 22 was observed in 56.4% of meningiomas. There was a significant increase in the frequencies of karyotypic complexity according to the increase of WHO grade between grades I and II (P=0.0422) or IV (P=0.0101). Abnormal karyotypes were more complex at high-grade tumors, suggesting that the karyotype reflects the biologic nature of the tumor. More detailed cytogenetic and molecular characterizations of CNS tumors contribute to better diagnostic criteria and deeper insights of tumorigenesis, eventually resulting in development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms/classification/*genetics ; Child ; *Chromosome Aberrations ; Female ; Glioblastoma/genetics ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Korea ; Male ; Meningeal Neoplasms/genetics ; Middle Aged ; Neurilemmoma/genetics ; Pituitary Neoplasms/genetics

The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of central nervous system (CNS) tumors incorporates morphology, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, and immunologic markers. Despite the relatively large number of CNS tumors with clonal chromosome abnormalities, only few studies have investigated cytogenetic abnormalities for CNS tumors in Korea. Thus, we investigated 119 CNS tumors by conventional G-banded karyotypes to characterize patterns of chromosomal abnormalities involving various CNS tumors, and 92.4% of them were cultured and karyotyped successfully. Totally, 51.8% of karyotypable CNS tumors showed abnormal cytogenetic results, including neuroepithelial tumors (75.0%), meningeal tumors (71.1%), pituitary adenomas (4.2%), schwannomas (44.4%), and metastatic tumors (100.0%). Glioblastomas had hyperdiploid, complex karyotypes, mainly involving chromosomes Y, 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, and 14. Monosomy 22 was observed in 56.4% of meningiomas. There was a significant increase in the frequencies of karyotypic complexity according to the increase of WHO grade between grades I and II (P=0.0422) or IV (P=0.0101). Abnormal karyotypes were more complex at high-grade tumors, suggesting that the karyotype reflects the biologic nature of the tumor. More detailed cytogenetic and molecular characterizations of CNS tumors contribute to better diagnostic criteria and deeper insights of tumorigenesis, eventually resulting in development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms/classification/*genetics ; Child ; *Chromosome Aberrations ; Female ; Glioblastoma/genetics ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Korea ; Male ; Meningeal Neoplasms/genetics ; Middle Aged ; Neurilemmoma/genetics ; Pituitary Neoplasms/genetics

Breast cancer is a major chronic disease threatening women's health. It has topped the global cancers as the diagnosed cases outnumbered lung cancer patients in 2020. Internal damage due to the seven emotions is an important cause of breast cancer and the disorders of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA) axis and endocrine system and the abnormal immune defense mechanism in response to psychological stress all affect the occurrence and development of breast cancer. It is noteworthy that the theory of seven emotions in traditional Chinese medicine and the psychological stress theory of modern medicine have something in common in some aspects. Therefore, this study explored the correlation between internal damage due to the seven emotions and psychological stress and analyzed the molecular biological mechanisms of psychological stress influencing breast cancer from the perspective of modern medicine, which is helpful to reasonably prevent breast cancer and other related tumors and improve the prognosis of breast cancer patients through emotion regulation.
Breast Neoplasms/genetics* ; Emotions ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; Stress, Psychological

OBJECTIVETo investigate the potential of gene therapy of rat prolactinomas mediated by adenoviral vectors with a gene encoding rat tyrosine hydroxylase.

METHODSRecombinant replication-deficient adenovirus named Ad-GFP-TH with rat TH-cDNA and control adenovirus named Ad-GFP were constructed by homologous recombination in bacterial cells. The rat pituitary prolactinoma cell line MMQ are chosen as the target cells to study the effect of gene therapy on their growth and prolactin secretion mediated by Ad-GFP-TH.

RESULTSRecombinant Ad-GFP-TH and Ad-GFP were successfully reconstructed. Transfection of MMQ cells with Ad-GFP-TH not only restrained their growth but also decreased their PRL secretion.

CONCLUSIONGene therapy may serve for a potential treatment for prolactinomas, especially invasive prolactinomas.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; therapy ; Prolactinoma ; therapy ; Rats ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo observe the characteristics and difference of gene expression in the pituitary adenomas and para-tumor normal pituitary tissues.

METHODSUsing serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE), two SAGE libraries were generated. Forty clones from each SAGE library were sequenced, and the results were analyzed by SAGE2000 software and compared with the SAGE map at NCBI.

RESULTSA total of 655 gene tags, representing 43 genes, were extracted from the 40 sequence files of the para-tumor normal pituitary tissues and 737 gene tags, representing 53 genes, were extracted from the 40 sequence files of the pituitary adenomas. Of these tags, 13 were not reported before. The genes related to pituitary hormone secretion and energy metabolism were highly expressed in the two kinds of tissues. Some growth factors and cytokines were also expressed, including those involved in the immunological system. But there were also much difference of gene expression in the two tissues. Thirty-one and five tags were only detected in para-tumor normal pituitary tissues and pituitary adenomas, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSGenes involved in hormones secretion and energy metabolism were highly expressed in the pituitary adenomas and para-tumor normal pituitary tissues. Many growth factors and cytokines were also expressed in pituitary. There was also much difference of gene expression in the two kinds of tissues. SAGE can be used not only in understanding the quantity information of gene expression, but also in finding new genes.

Adenoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Expressed Sequence Tags ; Gene Expression ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Pituitary Gland ; metabolism ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism