J Korean Soc Endocrinol.  1994 Jun;9(2):82-92.

In Situ Hybridization Analysis of Human Growth Hormone and Prolactin Secreting Pitultary Adenomas

• Jo JW
• Lee EJ
• Nam MS
• Kim KR
• Lim SK
• Lee HC
• Huh KB
• Kim TS
• Kim SH
• Choi JU
• Lee KC
• Jung HJ
• Chung SS

Abstract

A non-isotopic in situ hybridization method with biotin-labelled oligonucleotide probes was used to examine growth hormone(GH) and prolactin(PRL) gene expression in 32 patients with pituitary adenomas; 13 were prolactinomas, 8 GH secreting adenomas, and 11 mixed GH and PRL secreting adenomas.Positive immunostaining for GH was found in all patients with GH secreting adenomas, and mixed GH and PRL secreting adenomas. Positive immunostaining for PRL was found in all patients with prolactinomas and 9(81.8%) of 11 mixed GH and PRL secreting adenomas, 5(62.5%) of 8 GH secreting adenomas. Immunohistochemistry revealed that 13 were lactotrope adenomas, 5 somatotrope adenomas, and 14 GH and PRL cell adenomas.In situ hybridization revealed that GH mRNA expression was found in all the patients with somatotrope adenomas and GH and PRL cell adenomas, and 6(46.1%) of 13 lactotrope adenomas. PRL mRNA expression was 100% in lactotrope and GH and PRL cell adenomas, and 4(80.0%) of 5 somatotrope adenomas.The patients with a clinical diagnosis of acromegaly had detectable PRL mRNA in their neoplasm and it is suggested that the PRL cells in the adenomas did not result from dedifferentiation, but from the neoplastic stimulus for some mixed tumors probably occurred in cells previously committed to produce PRL and GH. In lactotrope adenomas, the PRL cells of the patients without expression of GH mRNA may be arised from cells programmed to secrete PRL or precussor PRL cells rather than from mixed GH-PRL cells. The finding that some patients produced mRNA detectable by in situ hybridization, but no hormone detectable by immunohistochemistry within tumor was suggested of a silent adenoma.These observations indicated that in situ hybridization studies may improve the classification of pituitary adenomas and may provide a precise knowledge of the biology of these neoplasms.

MeSH Terms

Acromegaly
Adenoma*
Biology
Classification
Diagnosis
Gene Expression
Human Growth Hormone*
Humans*
Immunohistochemistry
In Situ Hybridization*
Methods
Oligonucleotide Probes
Pituitary Neoplasms
Prolactin*
Prolactinoma
RNA, Messenger
Human Growth Hormone
Oligonucleotide Probes
Prolactin
RNA, Messenger