Plurihormonal PIT1-lineage pituitary neuroendocrine tumors: a clinicopathological study / 中华病理学杂志

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of plurihormonal PIT1-lineage pituitary neuroendocrine tumors. Methods: Forty-eight plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumors were collected between January 2018 and April 2022 from the pathological database of Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University. The related clinical and imaging data were retrieved. H&E, immunohistochemical and special stains were performed. Results: Out of the 48 plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumors included, 13 cases were mature PIT1-lineage tumors and 35 cases were immature PIT1-lineage tumors. There were some obvious clinicopathological differences between the two groups. Clinically, the mature plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumor mostly had endocrine symptoms due to increased hormone production, while a small number of immature PIT1-lineage tumors had endocrine symptoms accompanied by low-level increased serum pituitary hormone; patients with the immature PIT1-lineage tumors were younger than the mature PIT1-lineage tumors; the immature PIT1-lineage tumors were larger in size and more likely invasive in imaging. Histopathologically, the mature PIT1-lineage tumors were composed of large eosinophilic cells with high proportion of growth hormone expression, while the immature PIT1-lineage tumors consisted of chromophobe cells with a relatively higher expression of prolactin; the mature PIT1-lineage tumors had consistently diffuse cytoplasmic positive staining for keratin, while the immature PIT1-lineage tumors had various expression for keratin; the immature PIT1-lineage tumors showed more mitotic figures and higher Ki-67 proliferation index; in addition, 25.0% (12/48) of PIT1-positive plurihormonal tumors showed abnormal positive staining for gonadotropin hormones. There was no significant difference in the progression-free survival between the two groups (P=0.648) by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Conclusions: Plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumor belongs to a rare type of PIT1-lineage pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, most of which are of immature lineage. Clinically increased symptoms owing to pituitary hormone secretion, histopathologically increased number of eosinophilic tumor cells with high proportion of growth hormone expression, diffusely cytoplasmic keratin staining and low proliferative activity can help differentiate the mature plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumors from the immature PIT1-lineage tumors. The immature PIT1-lineage tumors have more complicated clinicopathological characteristics.

The Effect of Interleukin 23 Levels on Clinical and Laboratory Parameters of Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis

ABSTRACT Objective: In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between interleukin 23 (IL-23) and the clinical and laboratory parameters in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Ankylosing spondylitis causes structural and functional inability, particularly in the axial skeleton, and results in the inflammatory lower back pain. At the same time, we aimed to investigate the relationship between IL-23 levels and disease related variables in patients with AS. Methods: A total of 38 patients with AS (33 males and 5 females) and 42 healthy controls (32 males and 10 female) were enrolled in the study. The demographic characteristics of the participants were recorded. As laboratory findings, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and IL-23 values were noted. Bath AS Disease Activity Index, Bath AS Functional Index, Visual Analogue Scale, and AS Quality of Life scales of the patients were measured. Results: The mean age of the AS group and the control subjects was 32.4 ± 7.06 and 30.0 ± 6.24 years, respectively. The ESR, CRP and IL-23 levels were significantly higher in the AS group compared to those of the healthy controls (p < 0.001, p < 0.013, p < 0.012, respectively). There was a significant correlation between ESR, CRP, and IL-23 levels in patients with AS (r = 0.328, p = 0.030 and r = 0.392, p = 0.008, respectively). While 12 subjects (31.5%) were positive for peripheral arthritis, 26 patients were negative (68.4%). The IL-23 levels were significantly higher in the group that was positive for peripheral arthritis (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Interleukin 23 may play a role in the progression and/or pathogenesis of AS and is most likely involved in the joint problems independent of the classic inflammatory response measures.

[FSH and eCG impact follicles development and expression of ovarian FSHR and caspase-9 in mice]

The study aimed to investigate the effects of FSH and eCG on the ovarian and follicular development, expression levels of FSHR and caspase-9 of ovaries in vivo. One hundred and five prepuberty mice were allocated into FSH-1, FSH-2, FSH-3, eCG-1, eCG-2, eCG-3 groups and control group [CG]. Mice in FSH-1, FSH-2 and FSH-3 were intramuscularly injected with 5, 10 and 20 IU FSH twice [on day 0 and 4], respectively. Mice in eCG-1, eCG-2 and eCG-3 were intraperitoneally injected with 10, 20 and 40 IU eCG on day 0 and 4. Mice in the CG were injected with 0.5 ml normal saline on day 0 and 4. Left and right ovaries of each mouse were dissected aseptically on days 7, 14 and 21, respectively. The results showed that on days 14 and 21 the ovarian sizes and follicle numbers of FSH-3 and eCG-3 groups were greater than CG [P<0.05]. FSHR mRNA of FSH-2 and eCG-1 were higher than CG on days 14 and 21 [P<0.05]. FSHR proteins of FSH-3 were higher than CG on days 14 and 21 [P<0.05]. Caspase-9 mRNA in FSH and eCG groups was less than CG. There were positive correlations between follicle numbers and FSH and eCG doses. FSHR protein expressions had positive correlations between ovarian weights and sizes of ovary and follicle numbers [r=0.971, P<0.05] in FSH-treated mice. Serum FSH concentrations of FSH-2, FSH-3, eCG-2 and eCG-3 groups were greater than that of CG. In conclusion, eCG and FSH promoted the ovarian development, follicle genesis, FSH secretion, FSHR mRNA and protein expressions in ovaries of mice. FSH and eCG inhibited the expression of ovarian caspase-9 mRNA