MGMT expression as assessed by immunohistochemistry may predict response to temozolomide therapy in patients with aggressive pituitary tumours. MGMT promoter methylation is likely to explain low MGMT expression in some, but not all, pituitary tumours.

Hypoglycemia in patients with nonislet cell tumors is often secondary to overexpression of tumor insulin-like growth factor (IGF) II. In these patients the formation of serum complexes between IGFs, IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and the acid-labile subunit (ALS) is impaired. An 87-yr-old woman with nonislet cell tumor hypoglycemia resulting from a localized fibrous tumor of the pleura was treated for 97 days with graded doses of prednisolone (30, 10, and 5 mg/day) followed by GH (1, 4, 8, 4, and 2 U/day). Both prednisolone and GH alleviated the hypoglycemia, concomitantly with increases in IGF-I, IGFBP-3, and ALS levels. Pretreatment serum IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-6 levels were greatly elevated, but as glucose normalized with treatment, only IGFBP-2 decreased, showing an inverse correlation with glucose (r = 0.716). IGFBP-1 gave a variable pattern not clearly related to blood glucose. Both treatments caused a redistribution of serum IGFBP-3 from binary- to ternary-complexed forms. However, only prednisolone improved the ability of IGFBP-3 to bind ALS in vitro. Prednisolone also suppressed IGF-II, the effect being confined to pro-IGF-II forms. Compared with normal IGF-II, pro-IGF-II inhibited ALS binding to IGFBP-3 in vitro. Although prednisolone and GH reverse hypoglycemia by different mechanisms, with only prednisolone suppressing tumor IGF-II secretion, both increase the formation of ternary IGF-IGFBP-3 complexes. We conclude that the failure of serum IGFBP-3 and tumor IGF-II to complex with ALS is a primary cause of hypoglycemia in nonislet cell tumor hypoglycemia.

Our studies have detected ARMC5 mutations in 4 of 5 BMAH families tested, confirming that these mutations are a frequent cause of BMAH. Two of the 4 families had novel mutations, indicating allelic heterogeneity. Preclinical evaluation did not predict mutation status. The ARMC5-negative family had unusual prominent hyperaldosteronism. Further studies are needed to determine the penetrance of BMAH in ARMC5 mutation-positive relatives of affected patients, the practical utility of genetic screening and genotype-phenotype correlations.

Adrenal nodules, suppressed ACTH and increased VP sensitivity may represent preclinical disease, allowing early detection, and treatment, of affected individuals. In AIMAH-01, increased VP sensitivity may be due to adrenal VP receptor overexpression. In these kindreds, VPs-AIMAH is familial, and autosomal dominant inheritance is most likely.