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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
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Preparation of Mouse Pituitary Immunogen for the Induction of Experimental Autoimmune Hypophysitis
Published on: December 17, 2010
IgG4-related hypophysitis: a new addition to the hypophysitis spectrum
Paola Leporati1, Melissa A Landek-Salgado, Isabella Lupi
1Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|May 20, 2011
Summary
This study details a patient with IgG4-related hypophysitis, a rare pituitary inflammation. The findings propose diagnostic criteria for this condition, aiding future clinical identification and management.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Hypophysitis involves chronic pituitary inflammation with diverse clinicopathological presentations.
- Lymphocytic and granulomatous hypophysitis are common, but novel variants are emerging.
- Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic fibroinflammatory condition with increasing recognition in various organs.
Observation:
- A 75-year-old male presented with a year of frontal headache, panhypopituitarism, and sellar/sphenoidal masses.
- Transsphenoidal surgery, high-dose prednisone, and hormone replacement were initiated.
- The patient experienced symptom improvement and mass shrinkage with prednisone, but recurrence upon dose reduction.
Findings:
- Histopathology revealed significant mononuclear infiltrate with increased IgG4-positive plasma cells in pituitary and sphenoid specimens.
- Literature review identified 11 prior cases of IgG4-related hypophysitis.
- This case represents the first Caucasian patient with biopsy-proven IgG4-related hypophysitis.
Implications:
- The study provides proposed classification criteria for IgG4-related hypophysitis.
- Enhanced understanding of IgG4-related hypophysitis aids in diagnosis and management of pituitary disorders.
- Recognition of IgG4-RD in hypophysitis broadens the spectrum of IgG4-related disease manifestations.
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