Wessels H T, Hofland L J, van der Wal R, van Gastel L, van Koetsveld P M, de Herder W W, de Jong F H
Department of Endocrinology & Reproduction, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2001 Apr;54(4):485-92. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2265.2001.01194.x.
Expression of mRNAs encoding activin and its antagonists inhibin and follistatin has been described in human pituitary adenomas, including clinically nonfunctioning adenomas (NFAs) and gonadotroph adenomas (Gn-omas). Since many of the NFAs and Gn-omas secrete FSH in vitro, we hypothesized that locally produced activin may stimulate secretion of FSH in these pituitary adenomas.
Pituitary adenoma tissue was obtained from 38 patients diagnosed preoperatively as having NFAs (n = 17), Gn-omas (n = 5), prolactinomas (n = 6) or growth hormone (GH)-producing adenomas (n = 10). Actual protein levels of activin, inhibin, follistatin, FSH and LH were measured in media of these 38 cultured pituitary adenomas. In addition, we investigated correlations between concentrations of these growth factors and hormones in NFAs and Gn-omas.
Gn-omas were found to secrete significantly more activin A in their culture medium than PRL- and GH-producing adenomas (P < 0.05). Inhibin A and inhibin B protein levels in culture media were very low. A positive correlation between levels of activin A and FSH (r = 0.56, P < 0.005) was found, while no correlation between activin A and LH could be detected. Furthermore, levels of follistatin were positively correlated with activin A levels (r = 0.73, P < 0.0005). Comparison of the activin A:follistatin ratio with the measured FSH protein levels showed an even stronger relationship (r = 0.79, P < 0.0005).
It is concluded that levels of activin A, follistatin and FSH in media of cultured nonfunctioning adenomas and gonadotroph adenomas are positively correlated. This suggests that these adenomas secrete FSH in response to the relatively high locally produced levels of activin A.
在人类垂体腺瘤中已发现编码激活素及其拮抗剂抑制素和卵泡抑素的mRNA表达，包括临床无功能腺瘤（NFA）和促性腺激素腺瘤（Gn-oma）。由于许多NFA和Gn-oma在体外分泌促卵泡生成素（FSH），我们推测局部产生的激活素可能刺激这些垂体腺瘤中FSH的分泌。
垂体腺瘤组织取自38例术前诊断为NFA（n = 17）、Gn-oma（n = 5）、催乳素瘤（n = 6）或生长激素（GH）分泌型腺瘤（n = 10）的患者。在这38例培养的垂体腺瘤的培养基中测量激活素、抑制素、卵泡抑素、FSH和促黄体生成素（LH）的实际蛋白水平。此外，我们研究了NFA和Gn-oma中这些生长因子与激素浓度之间的相关性。
发现Gn-oma在其培养基中分泌的激活素A明显多于分泌催乳素和生长激素的腺瘤（P < 0.05）。培养基中抑制素A和抑制素B的蛋白水平非常低。发现激活素A水平与FSH水平呈正相关（r = 0.56，P < 0.005），而未检测到激活素A与LH之间的相关性。此外，卵泡抑素水平与激活素A水平呈正相关（r = 0.73，P < 0.0005）。将激活素A与卵泡抑素的比值与测得的FSH蛋白水平进行比较，显示出更强的相关性（r = 0.79，P < 0.0005）。
得出结论，培养的无功能腺瘤和促性腺激素腺瘤培养基中激活素A、卵泡抑素和FSH水平呈正相关。这表明这些腺瘤因局部产生的相对较高水平的激活素A而分泌FSH。
