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Expression of MSX1 in Human Normal Pituitaries and Pituitary Adenomas

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Abstract

Transcription factors play specific roles in the development and differentiation of normal pituitary tissues and pituitary adenoma. The transcription factor, muscle segment homeobox 1 (MSX1), which belongs to the homeobox gene family, binds the promoter region of the glycoprotein hormone α-subunit (SU) in TSH-producing cells in the mouse pituitary and regulates α-SU expression. The present study investigated MSX1 expression in the normal human pituitary. In addition, 50 pituitary adenomas were examined using immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to clarify the role of MSX1 in the development and functional differentiation of pituitary adenoma cells. In the normal pituitary, MSX1 was predominantly expressed in the cytoplasm of GH-producing cells. Furthermore, MSX1 immunoreactivity was observed in the cytoplasm of some α-SU-producing cells. It is interesting to note that, in the pituitary adenoma, MSX1 was expressed in the nucleus of GH- and TSH-producing adenomas. RT-PCR using RNA extracted and purified from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded pituitary adenoma specimens revealed MSX1 mRNA expressed in GH- and TSH-producing adenomas. Immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated MSX1 localized at intranuclear heterochromatin and euchromatin, which suggests transcriptional activity. These results suggest that MSX1 plays a specific role in human pituitary adenoma.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Prof. Akira Teramoto (Department of Neurosurgery, Nippon Medical School) for kindly supplying the precious specimens of human pituitary TSH-producing adenomas. This work was supported by a grant from the Tokai University School of Medicine Research Aid (2007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Tokai University, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan

    Yoshihito Mizokami & Mitsunori Matsumae

  2. Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Tokai University, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan

    Noboru Egashira, Susumu Takekoshi & Robert Yoshiyuki Osamura

  3. Department of Teaching and Research Center, School of Medicine, Tokai University, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan

    Johbu Itoh & Yoshiko Itoh

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  1. Yoshihito Mizokami
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  2. Noboru Egashira
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Correspondence to Mitsunori Matsumae.

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Mizokami, Y., Egashira, N., Takekoshi, S. et al. Expression of MSX1 in Human Normal Pituitaries and Pituitary Adenomas. Endocr Pathol 19, 54–61 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12022-008-9021-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12022-008-9021-7

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