Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Mostrar: 20 | 50 | 100
Resultados 1 - 20 de 62
Filtrar
1.
J Endocrinol Invest ; 46(6): 1047-1063, 2023 Jun.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37060402

RESUMO

The pituitary tumour microenvironment encompasses a spectrum of non-tumoural cells, such as immune, stromal or endothelial cells, as well as enzymes and signalling peptides like cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, which surround the tumour cells and may influence pituitary tumour behaviour and tumourigenic mechanisms. Recently, there has been intensive research activity in this field describing various pituitary tumour-infiltrating immune and stromal cell subpopulations, and immune- and microenvironment-related pathways. Key changes in oncological therapeutic avenues resulted in the recognition of pituitary as a target of adverse events for patients treated with immune checkpoint regulators. However, these phenomena can be turned into therapeutic advantage in severe cases of pituitary tumours. Therefore, unravelling the pituitary tumour microenvironment will allow a better understanding of the biology and behaviour of pituitary tumours and may provide further developments in terms of diagnosis and management of patients with aggressively growing or recurrent pituitary tumours.


Assuntos
Neoplasias Hipofisárias , Humanos , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/terapia , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/metabolismo , Microambiente Tumoral , Células Endoteliais/metabolismo , Células Endoteliais/patologia , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia , Citocinas
2.
J Endocrinol Invest ; 46(8): 1705-1709, 2023 Aug.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36757586

RESUMO

The most frequent genetic alteration of familial isolated growth hormone producing pituitary neuroendocrine tumors is a germline mutation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) gene. Various AIP mutations are already known; however, an AIP mutation in exon 6 (c.811_812del; p.Arg271Glyfs*16) has not been reported yet. Here, we report a German family with two identical twins who were both affected by acromegaly and carried the above-mentioned novel AIP mutation. The father was found to be an unaffected carrier, while the paternal aunt most likely suffered from acromegaly as well and died from metastatic colorectal cancer. Apart from reporting a novel AIP mutation, this study does not only highlight the different clinical and histological features of the AIP mutated growth hormone producing pituitary neuroendocrine tumors but also confirms the poor responsiveness of dopamine agonists in AIP mutated acromegaly. Furthermore, it highlights the increased mortality risk of comorbidities typically associated with acromegaly.


Assuntos
Acromegalia , Adenoma , Adenoma Hipofisário Secretor de Hormônio do Crescimento , Tumores Neuroendócrinos , Neoplasias Hipofisárias , Humanos , Acromegalia/genética , Acromegalia/patologia , Adenoma/patologia , Éxons/genética , Hormônio do Crescimento , Adenoma Hipofisário Secretor de Hormônio do Crescimento/genética , Adenoma Hipofisário Secretor de Hormônio do Crescimento/patologia , Mutação , Tumores Neuroendócrinos/genética , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/patologia
4.
Eur J Endocrinol ; 180(1): 89-98, 2019 Jan 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30407922

RESUMO

Objective To identify cross-border international registries for rare endocrine conditions that are led from Europe and to understand the extent of engagement with these registries within a network of reference centres (RCs) for rare endocrine conditions. Methods Database search of international registries and a survey of RCs in the European Reference Network for rare endocrine conditions (Endo-ERN) with an overall response rate of 82%. Results Of the 42 conditions with orphacodes currently covered within Endo-ERN, international registries exist for 32 (76%). Of 27 registries identified in the Orphanet and RD-Connect databases, Endo-ERN RCs were aware of 11 (41%). Of 21 registries identified by the RC, RD-Connect and Orphanet did not have a record of 10 (48%). Of the 29 glucose RCs, the awareness and participation rate in an international registry was highest for rare diabetes at 75 and 56% respectively. Of the 37 sex development RCs, the corresponding rates were highest for disorders of sex development at 70 and 52%. Of the 33 adrenal RCs, the rates were highest for adrenocortical tumours at 68 and 43%. Of the 43 pituitary RCs, the rates were highest for pituitary adenomas at 43 and 29%. Of the 31 genetic tumour RCs, the rates were highest for MEN1 at 26 and 9%. For the remaining conditions, awareness and participation in registries was less than 25%. Conclusion Although there is a need to develop new registries for rare endocrine conditions, there is a more immediate need to improve the awareness and participation in existing registries.


Assuntos
Doenças do Sistema Endócrino , Doenças Raras , Sistema de Registros , Europa (Continente) , Humanos
5.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29576871

RESUMO

29-year-old female presenting with an 8-year history of unexplained hypomagnesaemia, which was severe enough to warrant intermittent inpatient admission for intravenous magnesium. Urinary magnesium was inappropriately normal in the context of hypomagnesaemia indicating magnesium wasting. Ultrasound imaging demonstrated unilateral renal cysts and computed tomography of kidneys, ureters and bladder showed a bicornuate uterus. Referral to genetic services and subsequent testing revealed a de novo HNF1B deletion. LEARNING POINTS: HNF1B loss-of-function mutations are one of the most common monogenic causes of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract.Those with HNF1B mutations may have some of a constellation of features (renal and hepatic cysts, deranged liver function tests, maturity onset diabetes of the young type 5 (MODY5), bicornuate uterus, hyperparathyroidism, hyperuricaemic gout, but presenting features are highly heterogeneous amongst patients and no genotype/phenotype correlation exists. HNF1B mutations are inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern but up to 50% of cases are de novo.HNF1B mutations can be part of the Chr17q12 deletion syndrome, a contiguous gene deletion syndrome.Inorganic oral magnesium replacements are generally poorly tolerated with side effects of diarrhoea. Organic magnesium compounds, such as magnesium aspartate, are better absorbed oral replacement therapies.

6.
Endocr Relat Cancer ; 24(4): C5-C8, 2017 04.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28264912

RESUMO

The classification of neoplasms of adenohypophysial cells is misleading because of the simplistic distinction between adenoma and carcinoma, based solely on metastatic spread and the poor reproducibility and predictive value of the definition of atypical adenomas based on the detection of mitoses or expression of Ki-67 or p53. In addition, the current classification of neoplasms of the anterior pituitary does not accurately reflect the clinical spectrum of behavior. Invasion and regrowth of proliferative lesions and persistence of hormone hypersecretion cause significant morbidity and mortality. We propose a new terminology, pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET), which is consistent with that used for other neuroendocrine neoplasms and which recognizes the highly variable impact of these tumors on patients.


Assuntos
Adenoma/classificação , Tumores Neuroendócrinos/classificação , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/classificação , Humanos
8.
Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab ; 12(2): 143-153, 2017 Mar.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30063429

RESUMO

INTRODUCTION: Although most pituitary adenomas occur sporadically, these common tumors can present in a familial setting in approximately 5% of cases. Germline mutations in several genes with autosomal dominant (AIP, MEN1, CDKN1B, PRKAR1A, SDHx) or X-linked dominant (GPR101) inheritance are causative of familial pituitary adenomas. Due to variable disease penetrance and occurrence of de novo mutations, some patients harboring germline mutations have no family history of pituitary adenomas (simplex cases). Areas covered: We summarize the recent findings on the role of germline mutations associated with familial pituitary adenomas in patients with sporadic clinical presentation. Expert commentary: Up to 12% of patients with young onset pituitary adenomas (age at diagnosis/onset ≤30 years) and up to 25% of simplex patients with gigantism carry mutations in the AIP gene, while most cases of X-linked acrogigantism (XLAG) due to GPR101 duplication are simplex female patients with very early disease onset (<5 years). With regard to the syndromes of multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN), MEN1 mutations can be identified in a significant proportion of patients with childhood onset prolactinomas. Somatotroph and lactotroph adenomas are the most common pituitary adenomas associated with germline predisposing mutations. Genetic screening should be considered in patients with young onset pituitary adenomas.

9.
Endocrine ; 52(2): 231-5, 2016 May.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26886902

RESUMO

People are at higher risk of cancer as they get older or have a strong family history of cancer. The potential influence of environmental and behavioral factors remains poorly understood. Earlier population and case control studies reported that upper quartile of circulating IGF-I is associated with a higher risk of developing cancer suggesting possible involvement of the growth hormone (GH)/IGF system in initiation or progression of cancer. Since GH therapy increases IGF-1 levels, there have been concerns that GH therapy in hypopituitarism might increase the risk of cancer. We report a 42-year-old female patient who presented with subacute onset of symptoms of meningitis and with the absence of fever which resulted in death 70 days after the onset of symptoms. The patient together with her younger brother was diagnosed at the age of 5 years with familial congenital hypopituitarism, due to homozygous mutation c.150delA in PROP1 gene. Due to evolving hypopituitarism, she was replaced with thyroxine (from age 5), hydrocortisone (from age 13), GH (from age 13 until 17), and sex steroids in adolescence and adulthood. Her consanguineous family has a prominent history of malignant diseases. Six close relatives had malignant disease including her late maternal aunt with breast cancer. BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutational analysis in the patient's mother was negative. Histology after autopsy disclosed advanced ovarian cancer with multiple metastases to the brain, leptomeninges, lungs, heart, and adrenals. Low circulating IGF-1 did not seem to protect this patient from cancer initiation and progression in the context of strong family history of malignancies.


Assuntos
Carcinoma/secundário , Hipopituitarismo/congênito , Carcinomatose Meníngea/secundário , Neoplasias Ovarianas/patologia , Adulto , Evolução Fatal , Feminino , Hormônio do Crescimento/deficiência , Proteínas de Homeodomínio/genética , Terapia de Reposição Hormonal , Humanos , Hipopituitarismo/tratamento farmacológico , Hipopituitarismo/genética , Ovário/patologia , Linhagem
10.
Mol Metab ; 4(6): 437-60, 2015 Jun.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26042199

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: The gastrointestinal peptide hormone ghrelin was discovered in 1999 as the endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. Increasing evidence supports more complicated and nuanced roles for the hormone, which go beyond the regulation of systemic energy metabolism. SCOPE OF REVIEW: In this review, we discuss the diverse biological functions of ghrelin, the regulation of its secretion, and address questions that still remain 15 years after its discovery. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: In recent years, ghrelin has been found to have a plethora of central and peripheral actions in distinct areas including learning and memory, gut motility and gastric acid secretion, sleep/wake rhythm, reward seeking behavior, taste sensation and glucose metabolism.

11.
Endocrinology ; 156(4): 1362-71, 2015 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25646711

RESUMO

Patients with acromegaly have a higher prevalence of vertebral fractures despite normal bone mineral density (BMD), suggesting that GH overexpression has adverse effects on skeletal architecture and strength. We used giant bovine GH (bGH) transgenic mice to analyze the effects of high serum GH levels on BMD, architecture, and mechanical strength. Five-month-old hemizygous male bGH mice were compared with age- and sex-matched nontransgenic littermates controls (NT; n=16/group). Bone architecture and BMD were analyzed in tibia and lumbar vertebrae using microcomputed tomography. Femora were tested to failure using three-point bending and bone cellular activity determined by bone histomorphometry. bGH transgenic mice displayed significant increases in body weight and bone lengths. bGH tibia showed decreases in trabecular bone volume fraction, thickness, and number compared with NT ones, whereas trabecular pattern factor and structure model index were significantly increased, indicating deterioration in bone structure. Although cortical tissue perimeter was increased in transgenic mice, cortical thickness was reduced. bGH mice showed similar trabecular BMD but reduced trabecular thickness in lumbar vertebra relative to controls. Cortical BMD and thickness were significantly reduced in bGH lumbar vertebra. Mechanical testing of femora confirmed that bGH femora have decreased intrinsic mechanical properties compared with NT ones. Bone turnover is increased in favor of bone resorption in bGH tibia and vertebra compared with controls, and serum PTH levels is also enhanced in bGH mice. These data collectively suggest that high serum GH levels negatively affect bone architecture and quality at multiple skeletal sites.


Assuntos
Densidade Óssea/genética , Osso e Ossos/metabolismo , Hormônio do Crescimento/genética , Animais , Peso Corporal/genética , Hormônio do Crescimento/metabolismo , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Transgênicos , Estresse Mecânico
12.
Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) ; 80(2): 208-13, 2014 Feb.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23302039

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: In patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), insulin is usually replaced systemically (subcutaneously) and not via the physiological portal route. According to previous studies, the liver's capacity to store glycogen is reduced in T1DM patients, but it remains unclear whether this is due to hyperglycaemia, or whether the route of insulin supply could contribute to this phenomenon. T1DM patients after successful pancreas-kidney transplantation with systemic venous drainage (T1DM-PKT) represent a suitable human model to further investigate this question, because they are normoglycaemic, but their liver receives insulin from the pancreas transplant via the systemic route. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In nine T1DM-PKT, nine controls without diabetes (CON) and seven patients with T1DM (T1DM), liver glycogen content was measured at fasting and after two standardized meals employing (13) C-nuclear-magnetic-resonance-spectroscopy. Circulating glucose and glucoregulatory hormones were measured repeatedly throughout the study day. RESULTS: The mean and fasting concentrations of peripheral plasma glucose, insulin, glucagon and C-peptide were comparable between T1DM-PKT and CON, whereas T1DM were hyperglycaemic and hyperinsulinaemic (P < 0·05 vs T1DM-PKT and CON). Total liver glycogen content at fasting and after breakfast did not differ in the three groups. After lunch, T1DM-PKT and T1DM had a 14% and 21% lower total liver glycogen content than CON (P < 0·02). CONCLUSION: In spite of normalized glycaemic control, postprandial liver glycogen content was reduced in T1DM-PKT with systemic venous drainage. Thus, not even optimized systemic insulin substitution is able to resolve the defect in postprandial liver glycogen storage seen in T1DM patients.


Assuntos
Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/cirurgia , Insulina/sangue , Transplante de Rim , Glicogênio Hepático/metabolismo , Transplante de Pâncreas , Glicemia/metabolismo , Peptídeo C/sangue , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/sangue , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/metabolismo , Jejum , Feminino , Glucagon/sangue , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Período Pós-Prandial , Radioimunoensaio
13.
J Endocrinol Invest ; 36(10): 889-95, 2013 Nov.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24317305

RESUMO

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that represent a major class of molecular regulators. miRNAs have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several human tumors, including pituitary adenomas. Altered expression of miRNAs has been described in pituitary adenomas, and specific miRNA signatures are related to clinical and therapeutic characteristics of the tumors. The data suggest that miRNAs influence various genes known to be associated with the pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas and in this review we summarize these currently available studies focusing on miRNAs in pituitary adenomas.


Assuntos
Adenoma/genética , Adenoma/patologia , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , MicroRNAs/genética , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/genética , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/patologia , Animais , Humanos , Prognóstico
14.
J Endocrinol ; 214(3): 349-58, 2012 Sep.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22700192

RESUMO

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key regulator of cellular and body energy homeostasis. We previously demonstrated that AMPK activation in osteoblasts increases in vitro bone formation while deletion of the Ampkα1 (Prkaa1) subunit, the dominant catalytic subunit expressed in bone, leads to decreased bone mass in vivo. To investigate the cause of low bone mass in the Ampkα1(-/-) mice, we analysed bone formation and resorption in the tibia of these mice by dynamic histomorphometry and determined whether bone turnover can be stimulated in the absence of the Ampkα1 subunit. We subjected 12-week-old Ampkα1(+)(/)(+) and Ampkα1(-/-) mice to ovariectomy (OVX), intermittent PTH (iPTH) administration (80 µg/kg per day, 5 days/week) or both OVX and iPTH hormonal challenges. Tibiae were harvested from these mice and bone micro-architecture was determined by micro-computed tomography. We show for the first time that Ampkα1(-/-) mice have a high bone turnover at the basal level in favour of bone resorption. While both Ampkα1(+)(/)(+) and Ampkα1(-/-) mice lost bone mass after OVX, the bone loss in Ampkα1(-/-) mice was lower compared with controls. iPTH increased trabecular and cortical bone indexes in both ovariectomised Ampkα1(+)(/)(+) and Ampkα1(-/-) mice. However, ovariectomised Ampkα1(-/-) mice showed a smaller increase in bone parameters in response to iPTH compared with Ampkα1(+)(/)(+) mice. By contrast, non-ovariectomised Ampkα1(-/-) mice responded better to iPTH treatment than non-ovariectomised Ampkα1(+)(/)(+) mice. Overall, these data demonstrate that Ampkα1(-/-) mice are less affected by changes in bone turnover induced by OVX but respond better to the anabolic challenge induced by iPTH. These results suggest that AMPKα1 activation may play a role in the hormonal regulation of bone remodelling.


Assuntos
Proteínas Quinases Ativadas por AMP/genética , Remodelação Óssea/efeitos dos fármacos , Remodelação Óssea/fisiologia , Ovariectomia , Hormônio Paratireóideo/farmacologia , Proteínas Quinases Ativadas por AMP/metabolismo , Animais , Feminino , Fêmur/fisiologia , Expressão Gênica/fisiologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Knockout , Osteoporose/tratamento farmacológico , Osteoporose/genética , Osteoporose/fisiopatologia , Fosforilação/efeitos dos fármacos , Fosforilação/fisiologia , Tíbia/diagnóstico por imagem , Tíbia/fisiologia , Microtomografia por Raio-X
15.
J Endocrinol Invest ; 35(11): 1003-14, 2012 Dec.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23310926

RESUMO

Familial pituitary tumors are increasingly recognized. While some of these cases are related to wellknown syndromic conditions such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) or Carney complex, others belong to the familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA) patient group. The discovery of heterozygous, loss-of-function germline mutations in the gene encoding the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein (AIP) in 2006 has subsequently enabled the identification of a mutation in this gene in 20% of FIPA families and 20% of childhood-onset simplex soma- totroph adenomas. The exact mechanism by which the lack of AIP leads to pituitary adenomas is not clear. AIP mutations cause a low penetrance autosomal dominant disease with often a distinct phenotype characterized by young-onset, aggressive, large GH, mixed GH and PRL or PRL-secreting adenomas. This review aims to summarize currently available clinical data on AIP mutation-positive and negative FIPA patients.


Assuntos
Adenoma Hipofisário Secretor de Hormônio do Crescimento/genética , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intracelular/genética , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/genética , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Humanos , Mutação , Fenótipo
16.
Bone ; 47(2): 309-19, 2010 Aug.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20399918

RESUMO

Adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a regulator of energy homeostasis, has a central role in mediating the appetite-modulating and metabolic effects of many hormones and antidiabetic drugs metformin and glitazones. The objective of this study was to determine if AMPK can be activated in osteoblasts by known AMPK modulators and if AMPK activity is involved in osteoblast function in vitro and regulation of bone mass in vivo. ROS 17/2.8 rat osteoblast-like cells were cultured in the presence of AMPK activators (AICAR and metformin), AMPK inhibitor (compound C), the gastric peptide hormone ghrelin and the beta-adrenergic blocker propranolol. AMPK activity was measured in cell lysates by a functional kinase assay and AMPK protein phosphorylation was studied by Western Blotting using an antibody recognizing AMPK Thr-172 residue. We demonstrated that treatment of ROS 17/2.8 cells with AICAR and metformin stimulates Thr-172 phosphorylation of AMPK and dose-dependently increases its activity. In contrast, treatment of ROS 17/2.8 cells with compound C inhibited AMPK phosphorylation. Ghrelin and propranolol dose-dependently increased AMPK phosphorylation and activity. Cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity were not affected by metformin treatment while AICAR significantly inhibited ROS 17/2.8 cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity at high concentrations. To study the effect of AMPK activation on bone formation in vitro, primary osteoblasts obtained from rat calvaria were cultured for 14-17days in the presence of AICAR, metformin and compound C. Formation of 'trabecular-shaped' bone nodules was evaluated following alizarin red staining. We demonstrated that both AICAR and metformin dose-dependently increase trabecular bone nodule formation, while compound C inhibits bone formation. When primary osteoblasts were co-treated with AICAR and compound C, compound C suppressed the stimulatory effect of AICAR on bone nodule formation. AMPK is a alphabetagamma heterotrimer, where alpha is the catalytic subunit. RT-PCR analysis of AMPK subunits in ROS17/2.8 osteoblastic cells and in mouse tibia showed that the AMPKalpha1 subunit is the dominant isoform expressed in bone. We analysed the bone phenotype of 4month-old male wild type (WT) and AMPKalpha1-/- KO mice using micro-CT. Both cortical and trabecular bone compartments were smaller in the AMPK alpha1-deficient mice compared to the WT mice. Altogether, our data support a role for AMPK signalling in skeletal physiology.


Assuntos
Proteínas Quinases Ativadas por AMP/metabolismo , Osso e Ossos/citologia , Osso e Ossos/enzimologia , Osteogênese/fisiologia , Proteínas Quinases Ativadas por AMP/deficiência , Proteínas Quinases Ativadas por AMP/genética , Fosfatase Alcalina/metabolismo , Aminoimidazol Carboxamida/análogos & derivados , Aminoimidazol Carboxamida/farmacologia , Animais , Osso e Ossos/efeitos dos fármacos , Diferenciação Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Ativação Enzimática/efeitos dos fármacos , Ativadores de Enzimas/farmacologia , Regulação Enzimológica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Metformina/farmacologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Knockout , Sistemas Neurossecretores/enzimologia , Tamanho do Órgão/efeitos dos fármacos , Osteoblastos/citologia , Osteoblastos/efeitos dos fármacos , Osteoblastos/enzimologia , Osteogênese/efeitos dos fármacos , Fenótipo , Subunidades Proteicas/deficiência , Subunidades Proteicas/genética , Subunidades Proteicas/metabolismo , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Ratos , Ribonucleotídeos/farmacologia , Tíbia/efeitos dos fármacos , Tíbia/enzimologia
17.
Endocr Relat Cancer ; 16(4): 1329-38, 2009 Dec.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19620247

RESUMO

Raf/MEK/ERK and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) cascades are key signalling pathways interacting with each other to regulate cell growth and tumourigenesis. We have previously shown B-Raf and Akt overexpression and/or overactivation in pituitary adenomas. The aim of this study is to assess the expression of their downstream components (MEK1/2, ERK1/2, mTOR, TSC2, p70S6K) and effectors (c-MYC and CYCLIN D1). We studied tissue from 16 non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs), six GH-omas, six prolactinomas and six ACTH-omas, all collected at transsphenoidal surgery; 16 normal autopsy pituitaries were used as controls. The expression of phospho and total protein was assessed with western immunoblotting, and the mRNA expression with quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of pSer217/221 MEK1/2 and pThr183 ERK1/2 (but not total MEK1/2 or ERK1/2) was significantly higher in all tumour subtypes in comparison to normal pituitaries. There was no difference in the expression of phosphorylated/total mTOR, TSC2 or p70S6K between pituitary adenomas and controls. Neither c-MYC phosphorylation at Ser 62 nor total c-MYC was changed in the tumours. However, c-MYC phosphorylation at Thr58/Ser62 (a response target for Akt) was decreased in all tumour types. CYCLIN D1 expression was higher only in NFPAs. The mRNA expression of MEK1, MEK2, ERK1, ERK2, c-MYC and CCND1 was similar in all groups. Our data indicate that in pituitary adenomas both the Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways are upregulated in their initial cascade, implicating a pro-proliferative signal derangement upstream to their point of convergence. However, we speculate that other processes, such as senescence, attenuate the changes downstream in these benign tumours.


Assuntos
Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intracelular/metabolismo , MAP Quinase Quinase Quinases/metabolismo , Proteína Quinase 3 Ativada por Mitógeno/metabolismo , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/metabolismo , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinases/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/metabolismo , Quinases raf/metabolismo , Adulto , Idoso , Western Blotting , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Proliferação de Células , Ciclina D1/genética , Ciclina D1/metabolismo , Feminino , Humanos , Técnicas Imunoenzimáticas , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intracelular/genética , MAP Quinase Quinase Quinases/genética , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Proteína Quinase 3 Ativada por Mitógeno/genética , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/genética , Fosforilação , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/genética , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinases/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-myc/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-myc/metabolismo , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Transdução de Sinais , Serina-Treonina Quinases TOR , Adulto Jovem , Quinases raf/genética
18.
Ann Hum Genet ; 73(1): 1-9, 2009 Jan.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18945286

RESUMO

Growth and nutrition are interrelated and influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors. We studied whether common variants in ghrelin and ghrelin receptor (GHSR) genes could play a role in stature variation in the general population and in families ascertained for obesity. Selected tagging SNPs in the ghrelin and GHSR genes were genotyped in 263 Caucasian families recruited for childhood obesity (1,275 subjects), and in 287 families from a general population (1,072 subjects). We performed familial testing for associations in the entire population and in a sub-set of the samples selected for a case-control study. In the case-control study for height (cases were selected from the obese cohort with mean ZH = 3.17 +/- 0.15 confidence interval (CI) versus controls with mean ZH 0.14 +/- 0.09), we found an association with a 2 base-pair intronic deletion in the GHSR gene (rs10618418) (p = 0.006, odds ratio (OR) 1.86, 95% CI [1.26;2.74] under additive model), although when adjusting for BMI, the association disappeared (p = 0.06). Individuals carrying no deletion or who were heterozygous were significantly more frequent among the tall obese population (52% vs. 36% in controls, p = 0.007, OR 1.97, 95%CI [1.22;3.18]). However, the association was not maintained after correcting for multiple testing. Familial association testing of the ghrelin and GHSR genes and their interaction testing failed to show that any combination of SNPs had any significant effect. Thus, our results suggest that common variants of the ghrelin and GHSR genes are not major contributors to height variation in a French population.


Assuntos
Estatura , Grelina/genética , Obesidade/genética , Obesidade/fisiopatologia , Receptores de Grelina/genética , Adolescente , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Criança , Epistasia Genética , Feminino , Genótipo , Humanos , Masculino , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , População Branca/genética
19.
Int J Obes (Lond) ; 32(4): 663-8, 2008 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18071345

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies suggested that polymorphisms in the coding region of the preproghrelin were involved in the etiology of obesity and might modulate glucose-induced insulin secretion. We evaluated the association of a new variation, -604C>T, in the promoter region of the ghrelin gene, of Leu72Met (247C>A) and of Gln90Leu (265A>T), all haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), with measures of insulin sensitivity in 1420 adult individuals. RESEARCH METHODS: The three SNPs were genotyped using ABI PRISM 7900 HT Sequence Detection System. We used multiple linear regression analysis for quantitative traits and THESIAS software for haplotype analysis. RESULTS: We observed a protective effect exerted by Met72 variant of Leu72Met SNP on insulin resistance parameters; a significant decreasing trend from Leu/Leu to Leu/Met and to Met/Met homozygous subjects in triglycerides, fasting insulin levels and HOMA-IR index (P=0.02, 0.01 and 0.003, respectively), and, consistently, an increase in ghrelin levels (P=0.003) was found. A significant decrease from CC to TC and to TT genotypes in insulin levels and HOMA-IR index was also detected (P=0.00l for both), but only in subjects homozygous for Leu72, where the protective effect of Met72 was not present. The haplotype analysis results supported the data obtained by the evaluation of each single SNP, showing the highest value of insulin levels and HOMA-IR index in the -604(c)247(c) haplotype intermediate value in -604(T)247(C) and lowest value in -604(C)247(A). CONCLUSION: Our observations suggest a protective role of the Met72 variant and of -604 T allele in modulating insulin resistance. These SNPs or an unknown functional variant in linkage disequilibrium could increase ghrelin levels and probably insulin sensitivity.


Assuntos
Grelina/genética , Resistência à Insulina/genética , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Adulto , Frequência do Gene , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Grelina/sangue , Haplótipos , Humanos , Insulina/sangue , Desequilíbrio de Ligação , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Triglicerídeos/sangue
20.
Endocr Relat Cancer ; 12(2): 423-33, 2005 Jun.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15947113

RESUMO

Pituitary tumours have previously been shown to harbour several abnormalities that cause deregulation of the cell cycle, particularly down-regulation of expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27. However, it has been unclear whether these are the primary initiating events, or are secondary to other more proximate alterations in signalling pathways. In other cellular systems the Akt signalling pathway has been associated with downstream modulation of cell-cycle control. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that Akt signalling is enhanced in pituitary tumours, and to see if changes in Akt expression are related to previous findings on low expression levels of the nuclear cell-cycle inhibitor p27 in pituitary tumours. We examined normal and adenomatous human pituitary tissue for mRNA and protein expression of Akt1, Akt2 and p27, and the activation of Akt, as well the phosphatase involved in the inactivation of Akt, phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN). In pituitary adenomas Akt1 and Akt2 mRNA were found to be over-expressed compared with normal pituitary, while PTEN transcripts showed similar levels between the two tissue types. Immunohistochemical expression of phospho-Akt was found to be higher in the tumours than normal pituitaries, while the protein expression of nuclear p27 and PTEN was lower in the adenomas. However, the expression of p27 and Akt were not directly correlated. PTEN sequencing revealed no mutation in the coding region of the gene in pituitary adenomas, and thus we did not locate a cause for the increased phosphorylation of Akt. In summary, we have shown over-expression and activation of the Akt pathway in pituitary tumours, and we speculate that cell-cycle changes observed in such tumours are secondary to these more proximate alterations. Since Akt is a major downstream signalling molecule of growth factor-liganded tyrosine kinase receptors, our data are most compatible with an abnormality at this level as the primary driver of pituitary tumorigenesis.


Assuntos
Proteínas de Ciclo Celular/metabolismo , Monoéster Fosfórico Hidrolases/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/enzimologia , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinases/fisiologia , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas/fisiologia , Proteínas Supressoras de Tumor/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ciclo Celular/análise , Núcleo Celular/metabolismo , Inibidor de Quinase Dependente de Ciclina p27 , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Mutação , PTEN Fosfo-Hidrolase , Monoéster Fosfórico Hidrolases/análise , Monoéster Fosfórico Hidrolases/genética , Neoplasias Hipofisárias/imunologia , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinases/análise , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinases/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas/análise , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt , Transdução de Sinais , Ativação Transcricional , Proteínas Supressoras de Tumor/análise , Proteínas Supressoras de Tumor/genética
SELEÇÃO DE REFERÊNCIAS
DETALHE DA PESQUISA