Neuropathology and Molecular Genetics Laboratory - Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Neuroendocrinology Research Center/ Endocrinology Division - Medical School and Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Endocrine. 2021 Apr;72(1):208-215. doi: 10.1007/s12020-020-02524-w. Epub 2020 Oct 22.
Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) are benign tumors, however, some are agressive. We aimed to assess if human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is present in NFPA and if it can be used as a marker of aggressiveness and proliferation.
Consecutive patients operated for NFPA whose fresh frozen tumors were available were included. We analyzed tumor's aggressiveness (based on radiological progression) and proliferation (based on Ki-67), as well as hTERT mRNA by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
We included 109 samples from 86 patients followed for a median period of 60 months (5-120 months). Aggressive tumors were present in 66% cases and proliferative tumors in 47.7%. Seven (6.4%) samples expressed hTERT: 3 (42.8%) had aggressive and proliferative tumors, 2 (28.6%) only exhibited aggressiveness and the remaining 2 (28.6%) only proliferation. From the aggressive and proliferative tumors, 14% and 16%, respectively, expressed hTERT. From the non-aggressive and non-proliferative tumors, 9% and 6%, respectively, expressed hTERT.
hTERT expression is present in a minority of NFPA and does not seem to be related to aggressiveness or proliferation in NFPA.
无功能性垂体腺瘤（NFPA）是良性肿瘤，但有些是侵袭性的。我们旨在评估人端粒酶逆转录酶（hTERT）是否存在于 NFPA 中，以及它是否可以作为侵袭性和增殖的标志物。
纳入连续接受 NFPA 手术且新鲜冷冻肿瘤标本可用的患者。我们通过实时定量聚合酶链反应（RT-qPCR）分析肿瘤的侵袭性（基于影像学进展）和增殖（基于 Ki-67）以及 hTERT mRNA。
我们纳入了 86 例患者的 109 个样本，中位随访时间为 60 个月（5-120 个月）。侵袭性肿瘤占 66%，增殖性肿瘤占 47.7%。有 7 个（6.4%）样本表达 hTERT：3 个（42.8%）同时具有侵袭性和增殖性肿瘤，2 个（28.6%）仅表现出侵袭性，其余 2 个（28.6%）仅表现出增殖性。侵袭性和增殖性肿瘤中，分别有 14%和 16%表达 hTERT。在非侵袭性和非增殖性肿瘤中，分别有 9%和 6%表达 hTERT。
hTERT 的表达在少数 NFPA 中存在，但似乎与 NFPA 的侵袭性或增殖性无关。
