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. 2021 Apr;72(1):208-215.
doi: 10.1007/s12020-020-02524-w. Epub 2020 Oct 22.

Telomerase expression in clinically non-functioning pituitary adenomas

Liana Lumi Ogino  1 , Elisa Baranski Lamback  2 , Alexandro Guterres  1 , Carlos Henrique de Azeredo Lima  1 , Daniel Gomes Henriques  2 , Monique Alvares Barbosa  3 , Débora Aparecida Silva  1 , Aline Helen da Silva Camacho  1   4 , Leila Chimelli  1 , Leandro Kasuki  2   5   6 , Mônica R Gadelha  7   8   9
Affiliations

Telomerase expression in clinically non-functioning pituitary adenomas

Liana Lumi Ogino et al. Endocrine. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) are benign tumors, however, some are agressive. We aimed to assess if human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is present in NFPA and if it can be used as a marker of aggressiveness and proliferation.

Methods: Consecutive patients operated for NFPA whose fresh frozen tumors were available were included. We analyzed tumor's aggressiveness (based on radiological progression) and proliferation (based on Ki-67), as well as hTERT mRNA by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Results: We included 109 samples from 86 patients followed for a median period of 60 months (5-120 months). Aggressive tumors were present in 66% cases and proliferative tumors in 47.7%. Seven (6.4%) samples expressed hTERT: 3 (42.8%) had aggressive and proliferative tumors, 2 (28.6%) only exhibited aggressiveness and the remaining 2 (28.6%) only proliferation. From the aggressive and proliferative tumors, 14% and 16%, respectively, expressed hTERT. From the non-aggressive and non-proliferative tumors, 9% and 6%, respectively, expressed hTERT.

Conclusion: hTERT expression is present in a minority of NFPA and does not seem to be related to aggressiveness or proliferation in NFPA.

Keywords: Non-functioning pituitary adenomas; Pituitary tumor; Telomerase; Tumorigenesis.

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