Pituitary Tumorigenesis—Implications for Management
Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), the third most common intracranial tumor, are mostly benign. However, some of them may display a more aggressive behavior, invading into the surrounding structures. While they may rarely metastasize, they may resist different treatment modalities. Several m...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/4/812 |
| _version_ | 1797604369147887616 |
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| author | Rodanthi Vamvoukaki Maria Chrysoulaki Grigoria Betsi Paraskevi Xekouki |
| author_facet | Rodanthi Vamvoukaki Maria Chrysoulaki Grigoria Betsi Paraskevi Xekouki |
| author_sort | Rodanthi Vamvoukaki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), the third most common intracranial tumor, are mostly benign. However, some of them may display a more aggressive behavior, invading into the surrounding structures. While they may rarely metastasize, they may resist different treatment modalities. Several major advances in molecular biology in the past few years led to the discovery of the possible mechanisms involved in pituitary tumorigenesis with a possible therapeutic implication. The mutations in the different proteins involved in the Gsa/protein kinase A/c AMP signaling pathway are well-known and are responsible for many PitNETS, such as somatotropinomas and, in the context of syndromes, as the McCune–Albright syndrome, Carney complex, familiar isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA), and X-linked acrogigantism (XLAG). The other pathways involved are the MAPK/ERK, PI3K/Akt, Wnt, and the most recently studied HIPPO pathways. Moreover, the mutations in several other tumor suppressor genes, such as <i>menin</i> and <i>CDKN1B</i>, are responsible for the MEN1 and MEN4 syndromes and succinate dehydrogenase (SDHx) in the context of the 3PAs syndrome. Furthermore, the pituitary stem cells and miRNAs hold an essential role in pituitary tumorigenesis and may represent new molecular targets for their diagnosis and treatment. This review aims to summarize the different cell signaling pathways and genes involved in pituitary tumorigenesis in an attempt to clarify their implications for diagnosis and management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:45:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-44c682478cab4186afbe82fd809719b7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:45:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-44c682478cab4186afbe82fd809719b72023-11-17T20:22:29ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442023-04-0159481210.3390/medicina59040812Pituitary Tumorigenesis—Implications for ManagementRodanthi Vamvoukaki0Maria Chrysoulaki1Grigoria Betsi2Paraskevi Xekouki3Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic, University Hospital of Heraklion, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Crete, GreeceEndocrinology and Diabetes Clinic, University Hospital of Heraklion, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Crete, GreeceEndocrinology and Diabetes Clinic, University Hospital of Heraklion, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Crete, GreeceEndocrinology and Diabetes Clinic, University Hospital of Heraklion, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Crete, GreecePituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), the third most common intracranial tumor, are mostly benign. However, some of them may display a more aggressive behavior, invading into the surrounding structures. While they may rarely metastasize, they may resist different treatment modalities. Several major advances in molecular biology in the past few years led to the discovery of the possible mechanisms involved in pituitary tumorigenesis with a possible therapeutic implication. The mutations in the different proteins involved in the Gsa/protein kinase A/c AMP signaling pathway are well-known and are responsible for many PitNETS, such as somatotropinomas and, in the context of syndromes, as the McCune–Albright syndrome, Carney complex, familiar isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA), and X-linked acrogigantism (XLAG). The other pathways involved are the MAPK/ERK, PI3K/Akt, Wnt, and the most recently studied HIPPO pathways. Moreover, the mutations in several other tumor suppressor genes, such as <i>menin</i> and <i>CDKN1B</i>, are responsible for the MEN1 and MEN4 syndromes and succinate dehydrogenase (SDHx) in the context of the 3PAs syndrome. Furthermore, the pituitary stem cells and miRNAs hold an essential role in pituitary tumorigenesis and may represent new molecular targets for their diagnosis and treatment. This review aims to summarize the different cell signaling pathways and genes involved in pituitary tumorigenesis in an attempt to clarify their implications for diagnosis and management.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/4/812pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs)pituitary adenomapituitary tumorigenesispituitary pathogenesisgenetic alterationsmolecular pathways |
| spellingShingle | Rodanthi Vamvoukaki Maria Chrysoulaki Grigoria Betsi Paraskevi Xekouki Pituitary Tumorigenesis—Implications for Management Medicina pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) pituitary adenoma pituitary tumorigenesis pituitary pathogenesis genetic alterations molecular pathways |
| title | Pituitary Tumorigenesis—Implications for Management |
| title_full | Pituitary Tumorigenesis—Implications for Management |
| title_fullStr | Pituitary Tumorigenesis—Implications for Management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pituitary Tumorigenesis—Implications for Management |
| title_short | Pituitary Tumorigenesis—Implications for Management |
| title_sort | pituitary tumorigenesis implications for management |
| topic | pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) pituitary adenoma pituitary tumorigenesis pituitary pathogenesis genetic alterations molecular pathways |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/4/812 |
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