IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL AND IMMUNOELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF PITUITARY-ADENOMAS ASSOCIATED WITH CUSHINGS-DISEASE - A REPORT OF 13 CASES

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 109  (1) , 1-7
Abstract
Thirteen pituitary adenomas were removed from patients with Cushing''s disease by the transphenoidal route. All cases demonstrated a typical histochemical and ultrastructural pattern. Immunocytochemical study by means of the immunoperoxidase technique and light microscopy or EM demonstrated 1-24/1-39ACTH in all cases, lipotropin/melanotropin (.beta.-LPH/.beta.-MSH) in 10 cases, .beta.-endorphin in 8 cases, and an absence of calcitonin in all cases. In addition, in 2 cases tumor tissue contained a few antiprolactin immunoreactive may reflect either the peptides themselves or their precursors or intermediate products. A possible intermediate-lobe-like processing of .beta.-LPH leading to .beta.-endorphin production, which may act on prolactin cells is suggested. No positive arguments for the existence of a common precursor for calcitonin and ACTH could be provided from this study.