Volume 48, Issue 5 pp. 647-654

Expression of an orphan nuclear receptor DAX-1 in human pituitary adenomas

Shoichiro Ikuyama

Shoichiro Ikuyama

Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kyushu University Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan,

Search for more papers by this author
Yi-Ming Mu

Yi-Ming Mu

Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kyushu University Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan,

Search for more papers by this author
Kenji Ohe

Kenji Ohe

Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kyushu University Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan,

Search for more papers by this author
Hiroyuki Nakagaki

Hiroyuki Nakagaki

Department of Neurosurgery, Shinkokura Hospital, Kitakyushu, Japan,

Search for more papers by this author
Takeo Fukushima

Takeo Fukushima

Department of Neurosurgery, Fukuoka University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan

Search for more papers by this author
Ryoichi Takayanagi

Ryoichi Takayanagi

Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kyushu University Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan,

Search for more papers by this author
Hajime Nawata

Hajime Nawata

Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kyushu University Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan,

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 25 December 2001
Citations: 17
Dr Shoichiro Ikuyama Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kyushu University Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. Fax: +81 92 642 5287; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

OBJECTIVES

An orphan nuclear receptor, DAX-1, is known to be involved in the development and differentiation of anterior pituitary cells. The present study aimed to examine 1) whether DAX-1 is expressed in human pituitary adenomas, and 2) if it is expressed, what types of adenoma express the factor.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adenoma tissues examined included 18 clinically non-functioning adenomas, 14 GH-secreting adenomas and 7 PRL-secreting adenomas. The expression of the following genes were tested by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR): DAX-1, Adrenal-4-binding protein/steroidogenic factor-1 (Ad4BP/SF-1), Pit-1, LHβ, FSHβ, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R), GH, PRL, and TSHβ, as well as β-actin as a control.

RESULTS

Eleven clinically non-functioning adenomas expressed DAX-1, 10 of which also expressed Ad4BP/SF-1. Nine out of the 11 DAX-1-expressing adenomas also expressed LHβ, FSHβ and GnRH-R as well, indicating that these adenomas possessed gonadotrophic properties. Nine clinically non-functioning adenomas expressed Pit-1 as well as GH, PRL and/or TSHβ, thus having somatomammotrophic or thyrotrophic properties, 3 of which overlapped with the above DAX-1-expressing adenomas. One non-functioning adenoma expressed Ad4BP/SF1 and FSHβ but not DAX-1, and another one expressed DAX-1 and Ad4BP/SF-1 with PRL. On the other hand, all GH-secreting and PRL-secreting adenomas expressed Pit-1 and GH and/or PRL, but neither DAX-1 nor Ad4BP/SF-1.

CONCLUSIONS

The results shown here indicate that DAX-1 is expressed in the majority of human pituitary adenomas of gonadotrophic origin in parallel with Adrenal-4-binding protein/steroidogenic factor-1.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.