Activated AMP-protein kinase (pAMPK) is overexpressed in human somatotroph pituitary adenomas.

INTRODUCTION: AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) is an enzyme that acts as a metabolic sensor and regulates multiple pathways via phosphorylating proteins in metabolic and proliferative pathways. The aim of this work was to study the activated cellular AMPK (phosphorylated-AMPK at Thr172, pAMPK) levels in pituitary tumor samples from patients with sporadic and familial acromegaly, as well as in samples from normal human pituitary gland. METHODS: We studied pituitary adenoma tissue from patients with sporadic somatotroph adenomas, familial acromegaly with heterozygote germline variants in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein (AIP) gene (p.Q164*, p.R304* and p.F269_H275dup) and autopsy from normal pituitary glands without structural alterations. RESULTS: Cellular levels of pAMPK were significantly higher in patients with sporadic acromegaly compared to normal pituitary glands (p < 0.0001). Tissues samples from patients with germline AIP mutations also showed higher cellular levels of pAMPK compared to normal pituitary glands. We did not observe a significant difference in cellular levels of pAMPK according to the cytokeratin (CAM5.2) pattern (sparsely or densely granulated) for tumor samples of sporadic acromegaly. CONCLUSION: Our data show, for the first time in human cells, an increase of cellular levels of pAMPK in sporadic somatotropinomas, regardless of cytokeratin pattern, as well as in GH-secreting adenomas from patients with germline AIP mutations.

The role of MAPK11/12/13/14 (p38 MAPK) protein in dopamine agonist-resistant prolactinomas.

BACKGROUND: Prolactinoma is a functional pituitary adenoma that secretes excessive prolactin. Dopamine agonists (DAs) such as bromocriptine (BRC) are the first-line treatment for prolactinomas, but the resistance rate is increasing year by year, creating a clinical challenge. Therefore, it is urgent to explore the molecular mechanism of bromocriptine resistance in prolactinomas. Activation of the P38 MAPK pathway affects multidrug resistance in tumours. Our previous studies have demonstrated that inhibiting MAPK14 can suppress the occurrence of prolactinoma, but the role of MAPK11/12/13/14 (p38 MAPK) signalling in dopamine agonist-resistant prolactinomas is still unclear. METHODS: A prolactinoma rat model was established to determine the effect of bromocriptine on MAPK11/12/13/14 signalling. DA-resistant GH3 cells and DA-sensitive MMQ cells were used, and the role of MAPK11/12/13/14 in bromocriptine-resistant prolactinomas was preliminarily verified by western blot, RT-qPCR, ELISA, flow cytometry and CCK-8 experiments. The effects of MAPK11 or MAPK14 on bromocriptine-resistant prolactinomas were further verified by siRNA transfection experiments. RESULTS: Bromocriptine was used to treat rat prolactinoma by upregulating DRD2 expression and downregulating the expression level of MAPK11/12/13/14 in vivo experiments. The in vitro experiments showed that GH3 cells are resistant to bromocriptine and that MMQ cells are sensitive to bromocriptine. Bromocriptine could significantly reduce the expression of MAPK12 and MAPK13 in GH3 cells and MMQ cells. Bromocriptine could significantly reduce the expression of MAPK11, MAPK14, NF-κB p65 and Bcl2 in MMQ but had no effect on MAPK11, MAPK14, NF-κB p65 and Bcl2 in GH3 cells. In addition, knockdown of MAPK11 and MAPK14 in GH3 cells by siRNA transfection reversed the resistance of GH3 cells to bromocriptine, and haloperidol (HAL) blocked the inhibitory effect of bromocriptine on MAPK14, MAPK11, and PRL in MMQ cells. Our findings show that MAPK11 and MAPK14 proteins are involved in bromocriptine resistance in prolactinomas. CONCLUSION: Bromocriptine reduces the expression of MAPK11/12/13/14 in prolactinomas, and MAPK11 and MAPK14 are involved in bromocriptine resistance in prolactinomas by regulating apoptosis. Reducing the expression of MAPK11 or MAPK14 can reverse bromocriptine resistance in prolactinomas.

Multiple roles for peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase in the response to hypoxia.

The biosynthesis of many of the peptides involved in homeostatic control requires peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase (PAM), an ancient, highly conserved copper- and ascorbate-dependent enzyme. Using the production of amidated chromogranin A to monitor PAM function in tumor cells, physiologically relevant levels of hypoxia were shown to inhibit this monooxygenase. The ability of primary pituitary cells exposed to hypoxic conditions for 4 h to produce amidated chromogranin A was similarly inhibited. The affinity of the purified monooxygenase for oxygen (Km = 99 ± 19 µM) was consistent with this result. The ability of PAM to alter secretory pathway behavior under normoxic conditions required its monooxygenase activity. Under normoxic conditions, hypoxia-inducible factor 1a levels in dense cultures of corticotrope tumor cells expressing high levels of PAM exceeded those in control cells; expression of inactive monooxygenase did not have this effect. The effects of hypoxia on levels of two PAM-regulated genes (activating transcription factor 3 [Atf3] and FK506 binding protein 2 [Fkbp2]) differed in cells expressing high versus low levels of PAM. Putative hypoxia response elements occur in both human and mouse PAM, and hPAM has consistently been identified as one of the genes upregulated in response to hypoxia. Expression of PAM is also known to alter gene expression. A quarter of the genes consistently upregulated in response to hypoxia were downregulated following increased expression of PAM. Taken together, our data suggest roles for PAM and amidated peptide secretion in the coordination of tissue-specific responses to hypoxia.

Analysis of Cyclooxygenase 2, Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1, and Arginase 1 Expression in Human Pituitary Adenoma.

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of prostaglandins. Recent studies have shown that overexpression of COX-2 can reduce the antitumor effect of the immune system by inhibiting the proliferation of B and T lymphocytes. Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) was the first functionally characterized ligand of programmed cell death protein 1. It plays an important role in maintaining peripheral and central immune tolerance by combining with programmed cell death protein 1. Arginase 1 (ARG1) can process L-arginine in the local microenvironment and affect the function of T cells, resulting in immune escape. In this study, COX-2, PD-L1, and ARG1 expression in human pituitary adenoma (PA) and their relationship were investigated, which provided an initial theoretic basis for further study of the immune escape mechanism in PA in cellular and animal experiments. METHODS: The protein expression of COX-2, PD-L1, and ARG1 in 55 PA samples was detected by immunohistochemistry, with 10 normal brain tissues as the control group. The location of COX-2, PD-L1, and ARG1 in PA cells was studied by double immunofluorescence colocalization. The results of immunohistochemistry were further verified by Western blot. RESULTS: The expression of COX-2, PD-L1, and ARG1 in PA was significantly higher than that in normal brain tissue. In functional PA (FPA) and nonfunctional PA (NFPA), there was no significant difference in the expression of COX-2 and PD-L1, whereas ARG1 was higher in NFPA. Moreover, the protein expression level of COX-2 was positively correlated with that of PD-L1 and ARG1, and the expression of PD-L1 was positively correlated with that of ARG1. Immunofluorescence confocal imaging showed that COX-2, PD-L1, and ARG1 were all expressed in the cytoplasm of PA cells, and the physical positions of COX-2, PD-L1, and ARG1 were partially coincident. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that overexpression of COX-2, PD-L1, and ARG1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of PA. ARG1 plays a more important role in the development of NFPA. By upregulating the expression of PD-L1, COX-2 may promote the expression of ARG1, forming the COX-2/PD-L1/ARG1 signal pathway in promoting the occurrence and development of PA. Perhaps further study of the pathogenesis of PA can start with the mechanism of immune escape.

Up-regulation of 15-lipoxygenase enzymes and products in functional and non-functional pituitary adenomas.

BACKGROUND: Pituitary adenoma accounts as a complex and multifactorial intracranial neoplasm with wide range of clinical symptoms which its underlying molecular mechanism has yet to be determined. The bioactive lipid mediators received attentions toward their contribution in cancer cell proliferation, progression and death. Amongst, 15-Lipoxygense (15-Lox) enzymes and products display appealing role in cancer pathogenesis which their possible effect in pituitary adenoma tumor genesis is perused in the current study. METHODS: The 15-Lipoxygenses isoforms expression level was evaluated in tumor tissues of prevalent functional and non-functional pituitary adenomas and normal pituitary tissues via Real-Time PCR. The circulating levels of 15(S) HETE and 13(S) HODE as 15-Lox main products were assessed in serum of patients and healthy subjects using enzyme immunoassay kits. RESULTS: Our results revealed that 15-Lox-1 and 15-Lox-2 expression levels were elevated in tumor tissues of pituitary adenomas comparing to normal pituitary tissues. The elevated levels of both isoforms were accompanied with 15(S) HETE and 13(S) HODE elevation in the serum of patients. The 15-Lox-1 expression and activity was higher in invasive tumors as well as tumors with bigger size indicating the possible pro-tumorigenic role of 15-Lox-1, more than 15-Lox-2 in pituitary adenomas. The diagnostic value of 15-Lipoxygense isoforms and products were considerable between patients and healthy groups. CONCLUSION: The possible involvement of 15-Lipoxygense pathway especially 15-Lox-1 in the regulation of pituitary tumor growth and progression may open up new molecular mechanism regarding pituitary adenoma pathogenesis and might shed light on its new therapeutic strategies.

Expressions of Matrix Metalloproteinases-9 and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 in Pituitary Adenomas and Their Relationships with Prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in pituitary adenomas (PAs), and to analyze the relationship of the expressions of the two with the prognosis of patients. METHODS: A total of 108 patients with PAs diagnosed in our hospital from May 2010 to May 2012 were selected and divided into the invasive PA (IPA) group (n = 58) and the non-IPA group (n = 50) according to the invasiveness of PAs. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to observe the pathological state of patients. The expression levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were measured by immunohistochemistry and western blotting at protein level and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction at gene level, respectively. The expression levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in serum of patients before operation were tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and patients with PAs after operation were followed up. RESULT: The positive expression rate of MMP-9 in IPAs was significantly higher than that in non-IPAs, whereas that of TIMP-1 was relatively high in non-IPAs, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). At both protein and gene levels, MMP-9 was highly expressed in IPAs, whereas TIMP-1 was highly expressed in non-IPAs, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05 in all comparisons). Before operation, the expression level of MMP-9 in serum of patients with IPAs was relatively high, whereas that of TIMP-1 in serum of patients with non-IPAs was relatively high, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05 in all comparisons). CONCLUSION: The postoperative survival rate of patients with highly expressed MMP-9 was relatively low, whereas that of patients with highly expressed TIMP-1 was relatively high. The abnormal expressions of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 play important roles in the invasion process of PAs. The prognoses of patients with low expression MMP-9 and high expression TIMP-1 are more positive.

The relation of pituitary adenomas invasiveness and the proliferative index measured by immunoexpression of topoisomerase IIα.

INTRODUCTION: Cavernous sinus invasion by pituitary adenoma affects surgical procedure radicality and consequently the postoperative course and prognosis in pituitary adenoma treatment. The search for pituitary adenoma aggressive behaviour markers is still a matter of debate. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study evaluates the relation of pituitary adenoma invasiveness to the expression of topoisomerase IIα in 72 patients who underwent transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. The assessment of tumour growth was conducted according to the Hardy scale as modified by Wilson and the Knosp scale. Topoisomerase IIα expression in tumour specimens was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: There was a correlation between the Knosp scale degree and the topoisomerase IIα expression (Spearman R = 0.3611, p < 0.005). The Kruskal-Wallis H test (p = 0.0034) showed that there was a statistically significant topoisomerase IIα expression increase in tumours classified as grade E on the Hardy scale. The topoisomerase IIα expression correlated also with tumour size (Spearman R = 0.4117, p < 0.001). Higher levels of expression were observed in macroadenomas, as compared to microadenomas (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). Topoisomerase IIα expression correlated with cavernous sinus invasion. CONCLUSIONS: The topoisomerase IIα expression correlated more with invasiveness than with extensiveness, which might make it an eminently useful marker in the assessment of aggressive pituitary adenoma behaviour.

Overexpression of DNA (Cytosine-5)-Methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) And DNA (Cytosine-5)-Methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) Is Associated with Aggressive Behavior and Hypermethylation of Tumor Suppressor Genes in Human Pituitary Adenomas.

BACKGROUND Alteration of DNA methylation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) is one of the most consistent epigenetic changes in human cancers. DNMTs play several important roles in DNA methylation and development of cancers. Regarding DNMTs protein expressions, little is known about the clinical significance and correlation with promoter methylation status of TSGs in human pituitary adenomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed the protein expression of 3 DNMTs using immunohistochemistry and assessed DNA hypermethylation of RASSF1A, CDH13, CDH1, and CDKN2A (p16) in 63 pituitary adenomas. We examined associations between DNMTs expression and clinicopathological features or promoter methylation status of TSGs. RESULTS Overexpression of DNMTs was detected in pituitary adenomas. Frequencies of DNMT1 overexpression were significantly higher in macroadenomas, invasive tumors, and grade III and IV tumors. DNMT3A was frequently detected in invasive tumors and grade IV tumors. In addition, DNMT1 and DNMT3A were frequently detected in high-methylation tumors. Furthermore, in multivariate logistic regression, the significant association between DNMT1 or DNMT3A and high-methylation status persisted after adjusting for clinicopathological features. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggested that tumor overexpression of DNMT1 and DNMT3A is associated with tumor aggressive behavior and high-methylation status in pituitary adenomas. Our data support a possible role of DNMT1 and DNMT3A in TSG promoter methylation leading to pituitary adenoma invasion and suggest that inhibition of DNMTs has the potential to become a new therapeutic approach for invasive pituitary adenoma.

Enhancement of mitochondrial biogenesis and paradoxical inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase mediated by 14-3-3η in oncocytomas.

Oncocytomas represent a subset of benign pituitary adenomas that are characterized by significant mitochondrial hyperplasia. Mitochondria are key organelles for energy generation and metabolic intermediate production for biosynthesis in tumour cells, so understanding the mechanism underlying mitochondrial biogenesis and its impact on cellular metabolism in oncocytoma is vital. Here, we studied surgically resected pituitary oncocytomas by using multi-omic analyses. Whole-exome sequencing did not reveal any nuclear mutations, but identified several somatic mutations of mitochondrial DNA, and dysfunctional respiratory complex I. Metabolomic analysis suggested that oxidative phosphorylation was reduced within individual mitochondria, and that there was no reciprocal increase in glycolytic activity. Interestingly, we found a reduction in the cellular lactate level and reduced expression of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), which contributed to mitochondrial biogenesis in an in vitro cell model. It is of note that the hypoxia-response signalling pathway was not upregulated in pituitary oncocytomas, thereby failing to enhance glycolysis. Proteomic analysis showed that 14-3-3η was exclusively overexpressed in oncocytomas, and that 14-3-3η was capable of inhibiting glycolysis, leading to mitochondrial biogenesis in the presence of rotenone. In particular, 14-3-3η inhibited LDHA by direct interaction in the setting of complex I dysfunction, highlighting the role of 14-3-3η overexpression and inefficient oxidative phosphorylation in oncocytoma mitochondrial biogenesis. These findings deepen our understanding of the metabolic changes that occur within oncocytomas, and shine a light on the mechanism of mitochondrial biogenesis, providing a novel perspective on metabolic adaptation in tumour cells. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Autochthonous tumors driven by Rb1 loss have an ongoing requirement for the RBP2 histone demethylase.

Inactivation of the retinoblastoma gene (RB1) product, pRB, is common in many human cancers. Targeting downstream effectors of pRB that are central to tumorigenesis is a promising strategy to block the growth of tumors harboring loss-of-function RB1 mutations. One such effector is retinoblastoma-binding protein 2 (RBP2, also called JARID1A or KDM5A), which encodes an H3K4 demethylase. Binding of pRB to RBP2 has been linked to the ability of pRB to promote senescence and differentiation. Importantly, genetic ablation of RBP2 is sufficient to phenocopy pRB's ability to induce these cellular changes in cell culture experiments. Moreover, germline Rbp2 deletion significantly impedes tumorigenesis in Rb1+/- mice. The value of RBP2 as a therapeutic target in cancer, however, hinges on whether loss of RBP2 could block the growth of established tumors as opposed to simply delaying their onset. Here we show that conditional, systemic ablation of RBP2 in tumor-bearing Rb1+/- mice is sufficient to slow tumor growth and significantly extend survival without causing obvious toxicity to the host. These findings show that established Rb1-null tumors require RBP2 for growth and further credential RBP2 as a therapeutic target in human cancers driven by RB1 inactivation.

MicroRNA­16/VEGFR2/p38/NF­κB signaling pathway regulates cell growth of human pituitary neoplasms.

The association of microRNA (miRNA) with tumor has gradually become an active medical research field, since its discovery in 1993. The aim of the present study was to clarify how microRNA­16 expression affects the proliferation and survival of pituitary tumor, revealing its potential mechanism. MicroRNA­16 expression of pituitary tumor patients was observably declined, compared with the normal group. A high expression of microRNA­16 showed longer survival in pituitary tumor patients, compared to a low expression of microRNA­16 in pituitary tumor patients. MicroRNA­16 upregulation effectively decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in HP75 cells. MicroRNA­16 overexpression effectively induced p27, Bax protein expression and caspase­3/8 activities, and suppressed phosphorylation-(p)-p38, NF­κB, MMP­9 and VEGFR2 protein expression in HP75 cells. After VEGFR2 suppression, the effects of microRNA­16 overexpression on cell proliferation and apoptosis were significantly inhibited in HP75 cells. Moreover, the effects of microRNA­16 overexpression on p27, Bax protein expression and caspase­3/8 activities were significantly decreased in HP75 cells after p38 suppression. VEGFR2 or NF­κB suppression reduced the effects of microRNA­16 overexpression on p­p38, NF­κB, MMP­9 and VEGFR2 protein expression inhibition in HP75 cells. Our results suggest that microRNA­16 expression affects the proliferation and angiogenesis of pituitary cancer through the VEGFR2/p38/NF­κB signaling pathway.

Effects of metformin on cell growth and AMPK activity in pituitary adenoma cell cultures, focusing on the interaction with adenylyl cyclase activating signals.

For a few years we have been investigating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as a target for drug therapy of GH-secreting pituitary adenomas. Aim of this study was to investigate the direct effects of metformin, which causes AMPK activation in different cell types, on rat pituitary adenoma cell growth and on related cell signalling pathways. Our results suggest that metformin can exert a growth-inhibitory activity in rat pituitary tumor cells mediated by AMPK activation, although multiple mechanisms are most likely involved. Membrane proteins, including growth factor receptors, are valuable targets of AMPK. The inhibition of the mTOR-p70S6 kinase signalling pathway plays a role in the suppressive effect of metformin on pituitary tumor cell growth. Metformin did not affect the MTT reduction activity in energetic stress conditions. Finally, metformin was still able to induce AMPK activation and to inhibit cell growth in cells treated with forskolin and in transfected cells overexpressing GHRH-receptor and treated with GHRH. Hence, adenylyl cyclase over-activation does not account for the lack of response of some human pituitary tumors to AMPK-activating compounds in vitro.

Relation among Aromatase P450 and Tumoral Growth in Human Prolactinomas.

The pituitary gland is part of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which controls development, reproduction, and aging in humans and animals. In addition, the pituitary gland is regulated mainly by hormones and neurotransmitters released from the hypothalamus and by systemic hormones secreted by target glands. Aromatase P450, the enzyme responsible for the catabolization of aromatizable androgens to estrogens, is expressed in different parts of body, including the pituitary gland. Moreover, aromatase P450 is involved in sexual dimorphism where alteration in the level of aromatase can initiate a number of diseases in both genders. On the other hand, the direct actions of estrogens, mainly estradiol, are well known for stimulating prolactin release. Numerous studies have shown that changes in the levels of estrogens, among other factors, have been implicated in the genesis and development of prolactinoma. The pituitary gland can produce estradiol locally in several types of endocrine cells, and it is possible that aromatase could be responsible for the maintenance of the population of lactotroph cells and the modulation of the action of central or peripheral regulators. Aromatase overexpression due to inappropriate gene regulation has clinical effects such as the pathogenesis of prolactinomas. The present study reports on the synthesis of pituitary aromatase, its regulation by gonadal steroids, and the physiological roles of aromatase on pituitary endocrine cells. The involvement of aromatase in the pathogenesis of pituitary tumors, mainly prolactinomas, through the auto-paracrine production of estradiol is reviewed.

Histone deacetylase 11 suppresses p53 expression in pituitary tumor cells.

The pathogenesis of pituitary tumors (PT) is unclear. Deregulation of apoptosis is one of the factors involving tumor growth. Histone deacetylases (HDAC) have an active role in multiple cellular activities. This study aims to investigate the role of HDAC in the interference with apoptosis in PT. In this study, PT samples were collected from 20 patients after surgery. The expression of HDAC and p53 was analyzed in the PT samples. PT cell line, AtT-20 cells, was cultured to test the role of HDAC in the regulation of apoptosis in PT cells. The results showed that the high levels of HDAC11 and lower levels of p53 were detected in PT. A negative correlation was detected between the data of HDAC11 and p53. A complex of HDAC11 and HEY1, the gene transcription factor of p53, was detected in the PT cells. Less acetylated HEY1 was found in the PT cells. In addition, lower levels of HEY1 and the gene transcription activities were detected at the PT53 promoter locus. This phenomenon was mimicked by overexpression of HDAC11 in AtT-20 cells. Knockdown of HDAC11 enhanced the p53 expression in AtT-20 cells. In conclusion, HDAC11 interferes with p53 expression in PT cells. The fact suggests that inhibition of HDAC11 has therapeutic potential in the treatment of PT.

Different patterns of gelatinolytic activity in pituitary macro- and microadenomas.

OBJECTIVE: Gelatinases, Matrix MetalloProteinase(MMP)-2 and MMP-9, belong to zinc-dependent endopeptidases involved in several physiological and pathological processes including inflammation and tumor development. Because the information about the involvement of gelatinases in pituitary adenoma (PA) development are scant, our objective was the analysis of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity in serum and tumor tissue of PA patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty one patients with PA (macroadenoma n=18, microadenoma n=3), qualified to the endoscopic resection of tumors were enrolled. Venous blood samples were collected before the surgery and PA tissue was collected during the surgery. Tissue material was homogenized in a buffer containing 0.1M Tris-HCl pH 7.4 and centrifuged. The supernatant was set to the equal protein content 18µg/sample. Protein level in tissue samples was estimated with Bradford method. MMP-2 and MMP-9 analysis in serum and tissue was performed with gelatin zymography. RESULTS: The proteolytically activated forms of MMPs were not observed in the analyzed sera. Serum activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 did not statistically differ between patients with micro and macroadenomas. The analysis of material obtained from tissue of microadenomas showed slightly lower activities of both forms of MMP-9 (pro-MMP-9 and MMP-9/lipokalin heterodimer). Simultaneously the increased activity of pro-MMP-2 in comparison to macroadenomas was observed. Although differences observed did not reach statistical significance, only in the case of microadenomas the presence of the active form of MMP-2 (molecular weight 65kDa band) was observed. CONCLUSION: In the course of PA growth the change the biochemical profile of the gelatinolytic activity within the tumor tissue is observed. Initially, the higher activity of MMP-2 in microadenomas and elevated activity of MMP-9 in macroadenomas were detected.

O-6-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase expression is associated with pituitary adenoma tumor recurrence: a systematic meta-analysis.

O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) reportedly counteracts the cytotoxic effects of the alkylating agent temozolomide. MGMT expression is often low in aggressive pituitary adenomas (PAs) and recurrent PAs. However, because these associations are controversial, we performed this meta-analysis to clarify the involvement of MGMT in the prognosis and clinicopathology of PA. We searched for relevant studies in electronic databases (MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library Database, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBD)) and calculated/pooled the odds ratios (ORs) or standard mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Eleven case-control studies with a total of 454 PA patients were included. Our meta-analysis revealed that lower expression of MGMT was associated with PA recurrence (OR=2.09, 95% CI=1.09-4.02; p=0.026). On the other hand, MGMT expression was not associated with PA invasiveness (OR=1.112, 95% CI=0.706-1.753; p=0.646), Unexpectedly, MGMT expression could not be used to distinguish functional from non-functional PA patients (OR=1.766, 95% CI=0.938-3.324; p=0.078). The MGMT expression was not found to be related to other clinicopathological indicators of PA including age, gender or tumor size. No publication bias was detected in this meta-analysis (p>0.05). This meta-analysis suggests that MGMT expression may be associated with PA tumor recurrence, but not be related to invasiveness or other clinicopathological indicators. Thus, detection of MGMT expression may facilitate outcome prediction and guide clinical therapy for PA patients.

How effective is temozolomide for treating pituitary tumours and when should it be used?

Temozolomide (TMZ) has been shown as an effective treatment option in aggressive pituitary adenomas and carcinomas. This review analyses the published case series and demonstrates 42 % of patents show a radiological response and 27 % experience stable disease following TMZ. Prolactinomas and corticotroph tumours respond best to TMZ, showing approximately a 50 % response rate, with non-functioning tumours responding only half as frequently. Other factors that may predict the tumour's TMZ response include MGMT and MSH status, but neither is sufficiently robust to determine treatment decisions. TMZ has an accepted role in treating pituitary carcinoma and adenomas if radiation and surgery have failed to control tumour growth. To use TMZ on the basis of anticipated future aggression, as a primary therapy, or in preference to radiotherapy remains controversial.

Dopamine receptor type 2 (DRD2) inhibits migration and invasion of human tumorous pituitary cells through ROCK-mediated cofilin inactivation.

Non-functioning pituitary tumors (NFPTs) frequently present local invasiveness. Dopamine receptor 2 (DRD2) agonists are the only medical therapy that induces tumor shrinkage in some patients. Invasion requires cytoskeleton rearrangements that are tightly regulated by cofilin pathway, whose alterations correlate with invasion in different tumors. We investigated the effect of DR2D agonist on NFPT cells migration/invasion and the molecular mechanisms involved. We demonstrated that DRD2 agonist reduced migration (-44 ± 25%, p < 0.01) and invasion (-34 ± 6%, p < 0.001) and increased about 4-fold Ser3-phosphorylated inactive cofilin (P-cofilin) in NFPT cells. These effects were abolished by inhibiting ROCK, a kinase that phosphorylates cofilin. The overexpression of wild-type or phosphodeficient S3A-cofilin increased HP75 cells migration (+49 ± 6% and +57 ± 9% vs empty vector, respectively, p < 0.05), while phosphomimetic mutant had no effect. Interestingly, P-cofilin levels were lower in invasive vs non-invasive tumors by both western blot (mean P-cofilin/total cofilin ratio 0.77 and 1.93, respectively, p < 0.05) and immunohistochemistry (mean percentage of P-cofilin positive cells 17.6 and 45.7, respectively, p < 0.05). In conclusion, we showed that the invasiveness of pituitary tumors is promoted by the activation of cofilin, which can be regulated by DRD2 and might represent a novel biomarker for pituitary tumors' invasive behavior.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 and -2 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 in invasive pituitary adenomas: A systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control trials.

The extracellular matrix is important for tumor invasion and metastasis. Normal function of the extracellular matrix depends on the balance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the relationship between expression of MMP-9, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 and invasion of pituitary adenomas.We searched Pubmed, Embase, and the Chinese Biomedical Database up to October 2015. RevMan 5.1 software (Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark) was used for statistical analysis. We calculated the standardized mean difference (SMD) for data expressed as mean ±â€Šstandard deviation because of the difference in the detection method.Twenty-four studies (1320 patients) were included. MMP-9 expression was higher in the patients with invasive pituitary adenomas (IPAs) than patients with noninvasive pituitary adenomas (NIPAs) with detection methods of IHC [odds ratio (OR) = 5.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.61-11.50, P < 0.00001), and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (SMD = 2.28, 95% CI = 0.91-3.64, P = 0.001). MMP-2 expression was also increased in patients with IPAs at the protein level (OR = 3.58, 95% CI = 1.63-7.87, P = 0.001), and RNA level (SMD = 3.91, 95% CI = 1.52-6.29, P = 0.001). Meta-analysis showed that there was no difference in TIMP-2 expression between invasive and NIPAs at the protein level (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.06-2.26, P = 0.29). MMP-9 expression in prolactinomas and nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas was also no difference (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.48-2.20, P = 0.95).The results indicated that MMP-9 and -2 may be correlated with invasiveness of pituitary adenomas, although their relationship with functional status of pituitary adenomas is still not clear. TIMP-2 expression in IPAs needs to be investigated further.