The immunocytochemical heterogeneity of silent pituitary adenomas

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Abstract
An immunocytochemical study was performed by the indirect peroxidase method on the pituitary tumour of 37 patients with clinical and biological signs of silent adenoma. Antisera were used against human PRL, hnuman GH, ACTH1-24, human ACTH17-39, .alpha.-melanocyte stimulating hormone (.alpha.-MSH), human .beta.-endorphin, .alpha.-subunit of hCG (hCG-.alpha.), and .beta.-subunits of human LH (LH-.beta.), human FSH (TSH-.beta.). Immunostaining in at least 5% of the tumour cell population, with one or more antisera, was present in 13 cases; hCG-.alpha. immunostaining was the one most frequently observed. Combined immunostaining was found in 7 cases. Exclusive immunostaining was presented in 6 cases: 4 with hCG-.alpha., 1 with ACTH1-24 and 1 with TSH-.beta.. It is concluded that a significant number of silent pituitary adenomas show a certain secretory pattern of pituitary hormones or subunits of glycoprotein hormones as revealed by the immunocychemistry.