Analysis of epidermal growth factor receptor and activated epidermal growth factor receptor expression in pituitary adenomas and carcinomas.

Epidermal growth factor receptor plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many malignancies. Various growth factors, including epidermal growth factor receptor, have been shown to influence pituitary tumor growth and differentiation. To analyze the role of epidermal growth factor receptor in pituitary tumor development, we examined normal pituitaries (n=8), pituitary adenomas (n=158), and pituitary carcinomas (n=7) for expression of epidermal growth factor receptor protein and messenger RNA using tissue microarrays and RT-PCR. We also examined (a) the expression of phospho-epidermal growth factor receptor, the activated form of epidermal growth factor receptor, in pituitary tumors and normal pituitaries by immunohistochemistry and (b) the effects on epidermal growth factor receptor expression of treating pituitary cells (HP75 cell line) with epidermal growth factor. Epidermal growth factor receptor and the phosphorylated variant expression were present in normal pituitary cells. Epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA was also detected in normal pituitaries, pituitary adenomas, and carcinomas by in situ hybridization and RT-PCR. Most pituitary adenomas showed expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and the phosphorylated variant. Nonfunctional adenomas showed higher levels of expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (76 vs 34%) and of phospho-epidermal growth factor receptor (26 vs 8%) as compared to functional adenomas. Five of seven pituitary carcinomas showed strong expression of both epidermal growth factor receptor and phospho-epidermal growth factor receptor. When a human pituitary cell line (HP75) was cultured in the presence of epidermal growth factor receptor, there was an increase in the levels of both epidermal growth factor receptor and phospho-epidermal growth factor receptor after 5 h of treatment, thus confirming that epidermal growth factor receptor signaling was active in pituitary tumors. These results indicate that activated epidermal growth factor receptor is expressed in pituitary adenomas and carcinomas. Higher levels in pituitary carcinomas suggest a role in pituitary tumor progression.