Pituitary adenomas in old Sprague-Dawley rats: a histologic, ultrastructural, and immunocytochemical study

Fifty-five adenomas were identified and characterized in the anterior pituitaries of 27 male and 39 female SD rats, over 24 months of age, by histology, ultrastructural morphology, and immunocytochemistry. Adenomas were found in 85% of male and 79% of female rats; all known adenohypophysial hormones were represented in various tumors. Prolactin (PRL)-containing adenomas were the most common (47.2%); luteinizing hormone-(LH)-containing adenomas (16.3%), immunonegative adenomas (12.7%), PRL- and growth hormone (GH)-containing adenomas (10.9%), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-containing adenomas (3.6%), adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH)-containing adenomas (3.6%), and GH-containing adenomas (1.8%) were also identified. Unexpected combinations were observed in 3 tumors (5.4%); a GH-LH-containing adenoma, a PRL-ACTH-containing adenoma, and a PRL-LH-TSH-containing adenoma were noted. One intermediate lobe adenoma and 1 metastatic plasmacytoma were diagnosed. It can be concluded that spontaneous pituitary adenomas in aging SD rats are potential models of the human disease because of diversity of hormone content and morphologic appearance.