Boyke Andre E, Menaker Simon A, Nunez Alberto, Black Keith L, Ljubimov Vladimir A
Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
J Xenobiot. 2025 May 12;15(3):71. doi: 10.3390/jox15030071.
Pituitary adenomas, although predominantly benign, can lead to significant clinical complications due to endocrine imbalances and mass effects on adjacent structures. Traditional research has focused on intrinsic factors like genetic mutations and hormonal dysregulation; however, emerging evidence implicates environmental pollutants-particularly urban air contaminants-in pituitary tumorigenesis. This review consolidates current findings on how chronic exposure to pollutants such as benzene, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may trigger neuroinflammation, disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and alter pituitary cell proliferation and hormone secretion. We explore mechanistic pathways involving inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and microenvironmental modifications that contribute to neoplastic transformation and tumor progression. Epidemiological studies, supported by in vitro experiments, suggest that air pollutants not only initiate the development of pituitary adenomas but may also enhance the secretory activity of functioning tumors, potentially increasing their aggressiveness. Given the escalating global burden of air pollution and its far-reaching public health implications, further investigation is essential to elucidate these complex interactions. Advancing our understanding in this area could inform preventive strategies and therapeutic interventions aimed at mitigating the environmental impact on pituitary tumor behavior.
垂体腺瘤虽然大多为良性，但由于内分泌失衡以及对邻近结构的占位效应，可导致严重的临床并发症。传统研究主要关注基因突变和激素失调等内在因素；然而，新出现的证据表明环境污染物——尤其是城市空气污染物——与垂体肿瘤发生有关。本综述汇总了当前关于长期接触苯、邻苯二甲酸二（2-乙基己基）酯（DEHP）和多氯联苯（PCBs）等污染物如何引发神经炎症、扰乱下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴以及改变垂体细胞增殖和激素分泌的研究结果。我们探讨了涉及炎性细胞因子、氧化应激和微环境改变的机制途径，这些途径有助于肿瘤转化和肿瘤进展。流行病学研究得到体外实验的支持，表明空气污染物不仅会引发垂体腺瘤的发生，还可能增强功能性肿瘤的分泌活性，潜在地增加其侵袭性。鉴于全球空气污染负担不断加重及其对公众健康的深远影响，进一步研究对于阐明这些复杂的相互作用至关重要。增进我们在这一领域的理解可为旨在减轻环境对垂体肿瘤行为影响的预防策略和治疗干预提供依据。
