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Morphology, molecular regulation and significance of apoptosis in pituitary adenomas

Nikiforos Kapranos1, George Kontogeorgos, Eva Horvath

  • 1Department of Molecular Pathology, Mitera Maternity and Surgical Center, G. Gennimatas General Hospital of Athens, Greece.

Frontiers of Hormone Research
|July 30, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Apoptosis, a programmed cell death, plays a role in pituitary conditions like adenomas and hyperplasia. This review details its mechanisms and detection in pituitary tissues.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Cell Biology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Apoptosis is a regulated, energy-dependent form of cell death with distinct morphological and biochemical characteristics.
  • It is crucial for physiological processes and implicated in various pathological conditions, including neoplastic lesions.
  • Key regulators of apoptosis include molecular systems like bcl-2/bax, Fas/FasL, and caspases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the fundamental principles of apoptosis.
  • To summarize the morphological and functional changes associated with apoptosis in the pituitary gland.
  • To discuss the occurrence and detection of apoptosis in pituitary adenomas, carcinomas, and hyperplasia.

Main Methods:

  • Morphological assessment, primarily via electron microscopy, to identify characteristic apoptotic changes.
  • Biochemical and DNA assays to detect nucleosomal fragmentation, a hallmark of apoptosis.
  • In situ labeling techniques for demonstrating apoptosis in paraffin-embedded pituitary sections.
  • Caspase activity assays for identifying early apoptotic stages through cytoskeleton remodeling.

Main Results:

  • Electron microscopy reveals a common pathway of changes in pituitary adenoma cells undergoing apoptosis.
  • Apoptosis occurs at a low frequency in a subset of pituitary adenomas, carcinomas, and pituitary hyperplasia.
  • In situ labeling techniques show variable, but present, evidence of apoptosis in these pituitary conditions.
  • Caspase activity assays offer a method for detecting early apoptotic events.

Conclusions:

  • Apoptosis is a significant cellular process observed in the pituitary gland, albeit often at low frequencies in pathological conditions.
  • Various methods exist for detecting apoptosis, each with specific applications and limitations in pituitary research.
  • Understanding apoptosis in the pituitary is essential for comprehending the pathophysiology of pituitary tumors and hyperplasia.

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