Background: Pituitary adenomas as multifactorial intracranial neoplasms impose a massive burden of morbidity on\npatients and characterizing the molecular mechanism underlying their pathogenesis has received considerable\nattention. Despite the appealing role of cyclooxygenase enzymes and their bioactive lipid products in cancer\npathogenesis, their relevance to pituitary adenoma pathogenesis is debated and yet to be determined. Thus, the\ncurrent study perused this relevance.\nMethods: The expression level of the isoforms of cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) was evaluated in hormonesecreting\nand in-active pituitary adenoma tumors and normal pituitary tissues through Real-Time PCR. The level of\nPGE2, as the main product of enzymes, was assessed using enzyme immunoassay kits in patients and healthy\nsubjects.\nResults: The results of the current study demonstrated that COX-1 and COX-2 expression levels were increased in\npituitary tumors including non-functional pituitary adenoma (NFPA), acromegaly, Cushingâ??s disease and\nprolactinoma compared with normal pituitary tissues. A significant expression level of COX-2 was observed in NFPA\ncompared with the other pituitary tumors. Furthermore, the COX-2 expression level was significantly increased in\nmacroadenoma and invasive tumors. The level of PGE2 was consistent with COX enzymes enhanced in pituitary\nadenoma tumors compared with healthy pituitary tissue. A significant elevation in the PGE2 level was detected in\nNFPA compared with hormone-secreting pituitary tumors. Additionally, the PGE2 level was increased in\nmacroadenoma compared with microadenoma and in invasive compared with non-invasive pituitary tumors. The\ndiagnostic values of cyclooxygenase isoforms and PGE2 were considerable between patients and healthy groups;\nhowever, COX-2 revealed more value in distinguishing endocrinologically active and non-active pituitary tumors.\nConclusions: Data from the current study provides expression patterns of COX-1, COX-2 and PGE2 in prevalent\npituitary tumors and their association with patientsâ?? clinical features which may open up new molecular targets for\nearly diagnosis/follow up of pituitary tumor growth.
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