Blood vessels within pituitary adenomas were visualized using the immunocytochemical reaction for Factor VIII (von Willebrand Factor), a specific marker of the vascular endothelium. The number of immunopositive vascular profiles were counted and expressed as a mean number per one microscopic field. The results were related to the type of adenoma, established on the basis of immunocytochemical investigation using the antibodies against pituitary hormones or a-subunit (a-SU). It was found that the richest vascularization occurred in adenomas expressing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The possible role of FSH in pituitary angiogenesis is discussed.
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) receptors (FSHR) are physiologically expressed in the ovary and testis. It is well known that FSHR are also expressed in gonadal cancers, but data regarding their incidence in extra-gonadal tumors is scarce. Recently, the expression of FSHR in the vascular endothelium within different human cancers was found, but nothing is yet known about FSHR appearance in non-gonadal endocrine tumors. The present paper reports on the immunohistochemical detection of FSHR in human pituitary adenomas and adrenal tumors. The study included samples of 28 pituitary adenomas and 37 adrenal tumors. Moreover, two samples of non-tumoral adrenal glands were also studied. FSH receptor immunostaining was performed on paraffin sections using the rabbit anti-human FSH-R polyclonal antibody raised against 1-190 amino acid sequence from the human FSH-R (sc-13935). The pituitary adenomas were immunostained to reveal the pituitary hormones and the proliferation marker Ki-67. In the pituitary adenomas, positive immunostaining with anti-FSHR antibody occurred in the adenoma cells cytoplasm and endothelia of the intra-and peritumoral blood vessels. Cytoplasmic immunostaining was found in the majority of investigated tumors, but the intensity of staining was weak to moderate. There was some tendency towards a higher cytoplasmic FSHR score in tumors with higher Ki-67 index (atypical adenomas). In contrast to the cytoplasm, the FSHR immunostaining in blood vessels was strong and concerned all the investigated samples. Strong FSHR immunostaining was present in the endothelium of intra-and/or peritumoral blood vessels in the majority of pheochromocytomas, approximately one half of the adrenocortical adenomas, and all cases of adrenal cancers. The immunostaining was detectable also in the tumoral cell cytoplasm in all but one examined pheochromocytomas. All the investigated adrenocortical adenomas presented strong immunostaining of cell membranes. No immunostained cell membranes were found in adrenal cancers. The positive immunostaining was found in glandular cells, but not in blood vessels of non-tumoral adrenal cortex and medulla. Immunostaining of FSHR often occurs in the endothelium of intra-and/or peritumoral blood vessels of pituitary adenomas and benign and malignant adrenal tumors. The immunostaining may be also present in neoplastic cells. A role of FSHR expression in these tumors, such as stimulation of angiogenesis or of cell proliferation, needs to be clarified in further studies.
BackgroundIn normal conditions FSHR are expressed in granulosa cells of the ovary and Sertoli cells of the testis. They can be expressed also in gonadal tumours. However, recently the expression of FSHR was found in tumoral cells and intra-tumoral blood vessels of many other tumours, including thyroid tumours. Aim of this study was to see whether the expression of FSHR can be useful in the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid lesions.Methods44 samples of surgically excised thyroids were immunostained with anti- FSHR antibody raised against 1–190 amino acid sequence from the human FSHR.ResultsNon-neoplastic thyroid follicles (i.e. the follicles situated outside the tumour) do not show the immunostaining for FSHR. The same concerns the majority of follicular adenomas. In contrast, 87.5% of follicular cancers, the same percentage of papillary cancers and all the examined undifferentiated cancers showed the FSHR immunopositivity of tumoral cells. A tendency towards the higher frequency of FSHR – positive blood vessels also concerns malignant thyroid tumours.ConclusionsThe ectopic FSHR immunostaining seems to be useful to differentiate malignant from benign lesions, especially follicular cancers from follicular adenomas. However, the further studies on larger material are needed.
IntroductionIn normal conditions follicle-stimulating hormone receptors (FSHR) are expressed in the ovary and the testis. They can also be expressed in gonadal tumors. However, recently we have found FSHR immunostaining in pituitary adenomas, adrenal tumors and neuroendocrine tumors (carcinoids). The aim of this study was to determine whether the same occurs in thyroid tumors.Material and methodsThirty-six samples of surgically excised thyroids were examined. Follicle-stimulating hormone receptors immunostaining was performed on paraffin sections using the rabbit anti-human FSHR polyclonal antibody raised against a 1-190 amino acid sequence from the human FSHR (sc-13935, Santa Cruz).ResultsNormal thyroid follicles do not show immunopositivity for FSHR. The same concerns the majority of benign lesions, diagnosed as hyperplasia nodularis or thyroid adenomas. However, positive FSHR immunostaining in some follicles was observed. In all but one thyroid cancer (15 papillary, 10 follicular cancers and one case of anaplastic thyroid cancer) 10–100% of tumor cells exhibit positive FSHR immunostaining. In about 40% of samples FSHR immunoreactivity can be observed also in the endothelia of intrathyroidal blood vessels. This immunopositivity was more frequent in the samples of thyroid cancers (13/27) than in benign lesions (2/9).ConclusionsEctopic positive FSHR immunostaining is also present in thyroid cancers, and, to a lesser degree, in benign lesions but not in the normal thyroid epithelium.
Introduction: In our earlier study, we found that pituitary adenomas, like other human tumours, express ectopically follicle stimulating hormone receptors (FSHR) in intratumoural blood vessels endothelia and/or tumoural cells. The aim of the present paper was to provide more detailed data on FSHR expression in different subtypes of pituitary adenomas and to evaluate its possible role as a prognostic and/ or predictive biomarker in these tumours. Material and methods: Forty two pituitary adenomas, surgically removed, were immunostained with antibodies against the pituitary hormones, antigen Ki-67 and 1-190 fragment of FSHR. Results: The positive FSHR immunostaining was found in blood vessels endothelia of 88% of adenomas and in tumoural cells of 40% adenomas. In tumoural cells, the incidence of at least moderate FSHR immunostaining is significantly higher in invasive tumours (68%) compared to non-invasive (12%) ones, and higher (albeit not statistically significantly) in invasive-proliferating adenomas (Ki-67 > 3%, grade 2b) compared to invasive but non-proliferating (Ki-67 < 3%, grade 2a) ones. Conclusions:The present study confirms that pituitary adenomas ectopically express FSHR in intratumoural blood vessels endothelia and tumoural cells. Moreover, the expression in tumoural cells is prevalent in invasive and proliferating adenomas vs. non-invasive and non-proliferating tumours. (Endokrynol Pol 2014; 65 (6): 469-471)
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