Cannavo S, Ferrau F, Cotta O R, Saitta S, Barresi V, Cristani M T, Saija A, Ruggeri R M, Trimarchi F, Gangemi S
Section of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico "G. Martino" (Pad. H, floor 4), Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125, Messina, Italy.
Pituitary. 2014 Feb;17(1):76-80. doi: 10.1007/s11102-013-0468-2.
Cytokines' involvement in tumorigenesis has been hypothesized. Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is implicated in proliferative and anti-apoptotic pathways via its receptor IL-22R. Its role in pituitary adenomas has never been investigated. Twenty-seven patients with pituitary macroadenomas (PA, 21 males, mean age 53.8 ± 14.4 years) and 30 healthy controls (19 males, mean age 50.4 ± 8.4 years) were enrolled. Out of 27 PA patients, 17 had a non-functioning tumour (NFPA) and 10 a PRL-secreting adenoma (PRL-oma). Serum IL-22 levels were measured in both patients and controls. Immunohistochemical (IHC) tumoral IL-22R expression was evaluated in 10 patients with NFPA and 4 with PRL-oma. IL-22 levels were significantly higher in PA patients than in controls [32.47 (11.29-70.12) vs. 5.58 (0.19-21.46) pg/mL, p < 0.0001] but did not correlate with tumor maximum diameter and were not associated to pituitary function impairment. PRL-oma patients had significantly higher IL-22 levels than NFPA patients [37.18 (14.82-70.12) vs. 21.29 (11.29-56) pg/mL, p = 0.039]. IHC revealed a strong IL-22R staining in 100 % of PRL-omas and 60 % of NFPAs. We provide the first evidence of increased serum IL-22 levels in patients with pituitary macroadenoma, especially in PRL-omas, regardless of tumor size and/or degree of pituitary function impairment. We also demonstrated the expression of IL22R in all PRL-omas and in 60 % of NFPAs.
细胞因子参与肿瘤发生的假说已经存在。白细胞介素-22（IL-22）通过其受体IL-22R参与增殖和抗凋亡途径。其在垂体腺瘤中的作用从未被研究过。招募了27例垂体大腺瘤患者（PA，21例男性，平均年龄53.8±14.4岁）和30例健康对照者（19例男性，平均年龄50.4±8.4岁）。在27例PA患者中，17例为无功能肿瘤（NFPA），10例为分泌PRL的腺瘤（PRL瘤）。对患者和对照者均检测了血清IL-22水平。对10例NFPA患者和4例PRL瘤患者进行了肿瘤IL-22R表达的免疫组织化学（IHC）评估。PA患者的IL-22水平显著高于对照者[32.47（11.29 - 70.12）对5.58（0.19 - 21.46）pg/mL，p < 0.0001]，但与肿瘤最大直径无关，也与垂体功能损害无关。PRL瘤患者的IL-22水平显著高于NFPA患者[37.18（14.82 - 70.12）对21.29（11.29 - 56）pg/mL，p = 0.039]。IHC显示100%的PRL瘤和60%的NFPA中有强烈的IL-22R染色。我们首次提供证据表明，垂体大腺瘤患者，尤其是PRL瘤患者，血清IL-22水平升高，与肿瘤大小和/或垂体功能损害程度无关。我们还证明了IL22R在所有PRL瘤和60%的NFPA中的表达。
