Project description:Germline chromosomal microdeletion leading to pituitary gigantism through hormone-gene overexpression We detected a hitherto unreported heterozygous deletion involving a 752,023-bp genomic interval at 20q11.23 (chr20:35,899,203–36,651,225, hg19/GRCh37.p13)
Project description:The regulation of pituitary function via the hypothalamus and via intra-pituitary connections represents a complex system. Though hormones secreted from the pituitary glands have been well studied, overall information of proteins expressed in the pituitary glands is very limited. Protein expression profiling of normal pituitary tissue may lead to discovery of novel proteins playing an important role in the physiology of pituitary glands and can lead to better understanding of pituitary gland diseases. We aimed to carry out systematic proteomic profiling of adenohypophysis from human pituitary glands using high-resolution Fourier transform mass spectrometer. A total of 2,175 proteins were identified in this study of which, 105 proteins were identified for the first time as compared to high throughput proteomic-based studies from human pituitary glands. The comprehensive list of proteins identified in this study will facilitate the better understanding the role of this important gland in health and disease.
Project description:X-linked acrogigantism (X-LAG) is a rare form of pituitary gigantism that is associated with growth hormone (GH) and prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas/pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) that develop in infancy. It is caused by a duplication on chromosome Xq26.3 that leads to misexpression of the gene GPR101, a constitutively-active stimulator of pituitary GH and prolactin secretion. GPR101 normally exists within its own topologically associating domain (TAD) and is insulated from surrounding regulatory elements. X-LAG is a TADopathy in which the duplication disrupts a conserved TAD border, leading to a neoTAD in which ectopic enhancers drive GPR101 over-expression causing gigantism. Here we trace the full diagnostic and therapeutic pathway of a female patient with X-LAG from 4C-seq studies demonstrating the neoTAD through to medical and surgical interventions and detailed tumor histopathology. The complex nature of treating young children with X-LAG is illustrated, including the achievement of hormonal control using a combination of neurosurgery and adult doses of first-generation somatostatin analogs.
Project description:Pituitary adenomas are benign tumors originating from the endocrine cells of the pituitary gland, but some pathological subtypes are highly invasive, known as invasive pituitary adenomas. Invasive pituitary adenomas are relatively rare, progress rapidly, easily invade surrounding tissues, have a high risk of recurrence, and have poor response to standard treatments. This study collected tumor specimens from 17 patients with non-invasive pituitary adenomas (FSH type) and 15 patients with invasive pituitary adenomas (ACTH-silent type), and performed transcriptome sequencing, aiming to explore the genetic differences between invasive and non-invasive pituitary adenomas.
Project description:Despite a considerable literature concerning the molecular pathogenesis of pituitary tumors, the mechanisms of pituitary tumors development and progression remain unknown. Four SAGE cDNA libraries were constructed using a pool of mRNA obtained from five GH-, two ACTH-secreting, and four non secreting pituitary tumors (NS), and three normal pituitaries from patients who had accidental death, using I-SAGE kit (Invitrogen). The aim of this study was to evaluate the differential gene expression profile by SAGE genes in different subtypes of pituitary tumors to contribute for understanding of pituitary tumorigenesis. Comparative analysis of gene expression profiles in subtypes of pituitary tumores.
Project description:The purpose of this research is to determine whether the drug, Bevacizumab (a monoclonal anti VEGF-A antibody), which is approved to treat patients with metastatic colon cancer induces hyperprolactinemia (increased prolactin secretion) in humans with intact pituitary function. Past studies have shown Bevacizumab to shrink tumor size and also increase prolactin levels. The mechanism of the hyperprolactinemia might be inhibition of pituitary portal vein transport, suggesting that Bevacizumab induces prolactin secretion from normal lactotrophs in the pituitary gland.
Patients who have been treated with Bevacizumab for at least one month will be recruited to participate.
The subjects who are being treated with Bevacizumab by Dr. Stephen Wolin (a sub-investigator) will be screened by him for study eligibility. Dr. Wolin will approach eligible patients with all the information and background of the study and see if they have an interest in being consented.
If consented, there will be 2 blood draws for the research that is not part of their standard care in which 10 ml of blood is collected and prolactin, growth hormone, IGF-I, TSH, thyroxine, ACTH, and cortisol will be measured. One 5ml blood draw will occur before the administration of Bevacizumab and the second 5 ml blood draw will occur after the administration of the Bevacizumab. The investigators will then review the laboratory results. The blood tests are of the hormones of the pituitary gland to test pituitary function and see if there are any abnormalities with the secretions of the gland. Pituitary function abnormalities and hyperprolactinemia are diagnosed by looking at hormone levels in the blood and comparing them to the normal reference ranges.
This study will only involve 10 subjects and will be conducted entirely at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Project description:NR5A1 is expressed in the pituitary gonadotropes and regulates their functional differentiation. We have previously identified a pituitary-specific enhancer region located in the 6th intron of the Nr5a1 gene. In this study, deletion of the pituitary enhancer by genome editing abolished the expression of NR5A1 in the pituitary gland, confirming the functional importance of the enhancer. Transcriptomic changes in the enhancer-deleted mouse pituitary were revealed in both males and females.
Project description:Despite a considerable literature concerning the molecular pathogenesis of pituitary tumors, the mechanisms of pituitary tumors development and progression remain unknown. Four SAGE cDNA libraries were constructed using a pool of mRNA obtained from five GH-, two ACTH-secreting, and four non secreting pituitary tumors (NS), and three normal pituitaries from patients who had accidental death, using I-SAGE kit (Invitrogen). The aim of this study was to evaluate the differential gene expression profile by SAGE genes in different subtypes of pituitary tumors to contribute for understanding of pituitary tumorigenesis.
Project description:Obesity alters circulating levels of pituitary hormones that govern hepatic immune-metabolic homeostasis, and dysregulation of which leads to NAFLD. Here, using diet induced obese and IRE1PKO mice, we uncovered an blunted unfolded protein response (UPR) but elevated inflammatory signatures in pituitary glands of obese mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that the pituitary IRE1alpha-XBP1 UPR branch is essential for protecting against pituitary endocrine defects and NAFLD progression in obesity.
Project description:Obesity alters circulating levels of pituitary hormones that govern hepatic immune-metabolic homeostasis, and dysregulation of which leads to NAFLD. Here, using diet induced obese mouse, we uncovered an blunted unfolded protein response (UPR) but elevated inflammatory signatures in pituitary glands of obese mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that the pituitary IRE1alpha-XBP1 UPR branch is essential for protecting against pituitary endocrine defects and NAFLD progression in obesity.