1
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Kato Y, Yoshida S, Kato T. Missing pieces of the pituitary puzzle: participation of extra-adenohypophyseal placode-lineage cells in the adult pituitary gland. Cell Tissue Res 2023; 394:487-496. [PMID: 37650920 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-023-03829-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The pituitary gland is a major endocrine tissue composing of two distinct entities, the adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary, cranial placode origin) and the neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary, neural ectoderm origin), and plays important roles in maintaining vital homeostasis. This tissue is maintained by a slow, consistent cell-renewal system of adult stem/progenitor cells. Recent accumulating evidence shows that neural crest-, head mesenchyme-, and endoderm lineage cells invade during pituitary development and contribute to the maintenance of the adult pituitary gland. Based on these novel observations, this article discusses whether these lineage cells are involved in pituitary organogenesis, maintenance, regeneration, dysplasia, or tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukio Kato
- Institute for Endocrinology, Meiji University, 1-1-1 Higashi-Mita, Tama-Ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan.
| | - Saishu Yoshida
- Department of Biochemistry, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-Ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | - Takako Kato
- Institute for Endocrinology, Meiji University, 1-1-1 Higashi-Mita, Tama-Ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan
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2
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Fletcher PA, Smiljanic K, Prévide RM, Constantin S, Sherman AS, Coon SL, Stojilkovic SS. The astroglial and stem cell functions of adult rat folliculostellate cells. Glia 2023; 71:205-228. [PMID: 36093576 PMCID: PMC9772113 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian pituitary gland is a complex organ consisting of hormone-producing cells, anterior lobe folliculostellate cells (FSCs), posterior lobe pituicytes, vascular pericytes and endothelial cells, and Sox2-expressing stem cells. We present single-cell RNA sequencing and immunohistofluorescence analyses of pituitary cells of adult female rats with a focus on the transcriptomic profiles of nonhormonal cell types. Samples obtained from whole pituitaries and separated anterior and posterior lobe cells contained all expected pituitary resident cell types and lobe-specific vascular cell subpopulations. FSCs and pituicytes expressed S100B, ALDOC, EAAT1, ALDH1A1, and VIM genes and proteins, as well as other astroglial marker genes, some common and some cell type-specific. We also found that the SOX2 gene and protein were expressed in ~15% of pituitary cells, including FSCs, pituicytes, and a fraction of hormone-producing cells, arguing against its stem cell specificity. FSCs comprised two Sox2-expressing subclusters; FS1 contained more cells but lower genetic diversity, while FS2 contained proliferative cells, shared genes with hormone-producing cells, and expressed genes consistent with stem cell niche formation, regulation of cell proliferation and stem cell pluripotency, including the Hippo and Wnt pathways. FS1 cells were randomly distributed in the anterior and intermediate lobes, while FS2 cells were localized exclusively in the marginal zone between the anterior and intermediate lobes. These data indicate the identity of the FSCs as anterior pituitary-specific astroglia, with FS1 cells representing differentiated cells equipped for classical FSC roles and FS2 cells exhibiting additional stem cell-like features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick A. Fletcher
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Kosara Smiljanic
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Rafael M. Prévide
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Stephanie Constantin
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Arthur S. Sherman
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Steven L. Coon
- Molecular Genomics Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - Stanko S. Stojilkovic
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
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3
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Han L, Wei X, Liu C, Volpe G, Zhuang Z, Zou X, Wang Z, Pan T, Yuan Y, Zhang X, Fan P, Guo P, Lai Y, Lei Y, Liu X, Yu F, Shangguan S, Lai G, Deng Q, Liu Y, Wu L, Shi Q, Yu H, Huang Y, Cheng M, Xu J, Liu Y, Wang M, Wang C, Zhang Y, Xie D, Yang Y, Yu Y, Zheng H, Wei Y, Huang F, Lei J, Huang W, Zhu Z, Lu H, Wang B, Wei X, Chen F, Yang T, Du W, Chen J, Xu S, An J, Ward C, Wang Z, Pei Z, Wong CW, Liu X, Zhang H, Liu M, Qin B, Schambach A, Isern J, Feng L, Liu Y, Guo X, Liu Z, Sun Q, Maxwell PH, Barker N, Muñoz-Cánoves P, Gu Y, Mulder J, Uhlen M, Tan T, Liu S, Yang H, Wang J, Hou Y, Xu X, Esteban MA, Liu L. Cell transcriptomic atlas of the non-human primate Macaca fascicularis. Nature 2022; 604:723-731. [PMID: 35418686 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04587-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Studying tissue composition and function in non-human primates (NHPs) is crucial to understand the nature of our own species. Here we present a large-scale cell transcriptomic atlas that encompasses over 1 million cells from 45 tissues of the adult NHP Macaca fascicularis. This dataset provides a vast annotated resource to study a species phylogenetically close to humans. To demonstrate the utility of the atlas, we have reconstructed the cell-cell interaction networks that drive Wnt signalling across the body, mapped the distribution of receptors and co-receptors for viruses causing human infectious diseases, and intersected our data with human genetic disease orthologues to establish potential clinical associations. Our M. fascicularis cell atlas constitutes an essential reference for future studies in humans and NHPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Han
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China.,Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wei
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanyu Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China.,Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Giacomo Volpe
- Hematology and Cell Therapy Unit, IRCCS-Istituto Tumori 'Giovanni Paolo II', Bari, Italy
| | - Zhenkun Zhuang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuanxuan Zou
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhifeng Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Taotao Pan
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Yuan
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Peng Fan
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Pengcheng Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yiwei Lai
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Lei
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China.,Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xingyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Feng Yu
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuncheng Shangguan
- Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health and Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangyao Lai
- Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health and Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiuting Deng
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Liang Wu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Quan Shi
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hao Yu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yunting Huang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mengnan Cheng
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiangshan Xu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Chunqing Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanhang Zhang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Duo Xie
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunzhi Yang
- BGI College and Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yeya Yu
- BGI College and Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huiwen Zheng
- BGI College and Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanrong Wei
- BGI College and Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Fubaoqian Huang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junjie Lei
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Waidong Huang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyong Zhu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haorong Lu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bo Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaofeng Wei
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fengzhen Chen
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tao Yang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wensi Du
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Chen
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shibo Xu
- Institute for Stem Cells and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Juan An
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Carl Ward
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zongren Wang
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhong Pei
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Xiaolei Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Huafeng Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Mingyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Baoming Qin
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Cell Fate, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Harvard Medical School, MA, Boston, USA
| | - Joan Isern
- Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Liqiang Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Institute for Stem Cells and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangyu Guo
- Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Hubei Topgene Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Sun
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Patrick H Maxwell
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nick Barker
- A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pura Muñoz-Cánoves
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), ICREA and CIBERNED, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ying Gu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jan Mulder
- Department of Protein Science, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mathias Uhlen
- Department of Protein Science, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tao Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Shiping Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China.,Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huanming Yang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,James D. Watson Institute of Genome Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,James D. Watson Institute of Genome Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong Hou
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China. .,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China. .,Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China. .,BGI College and Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Xun Xu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China. .,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China. .,BGI College and Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China. .,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Read and Write, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Miguel A Esteban
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China. .,Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China. .,Institute of Stem Cells and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Longqi Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China. .,BGI-Beijing, Beijing, China. .,Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China. .,BGI College and Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
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4
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Guido CB, Sosa LDV, Perez PA, Zlocoswki N, Velazquez FN, Gutierrez S, Petiti JP, Mukdsi JH, Torres AI. Changes of stem cell niche during experimental pituitary tumor development. J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e13051. [PMID: 34708474 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the putative stem cell/tumor stem cell (SC/TSC) niche contribution to hyperplasic/adenomatous pituitary lesions, we analyzed variation in the pituitary stem cell population during the development of experimental pituitary tumors. Pituitary tumors were induced in female F344 rats with estradiol benzoate for 5, 10, 20 and 30 days. Cells positive for GFRa2, Sox2, Sox9, Nestin, CD133 and CD44 were identified in the marginal zone and in the adenoparenchyma in both control and 30D groups, with predominant adenoparenchyma localization of GRFa2 and SOX9 found in tumoral pituitaries. GFRa2, Nestin, CD133 and CD44 were upregulated at the initial stages of tumor growth, whereas Sox9 significantly decreased at 5D, with Sox2 remaining invariable during the hyperplasic/adenomatous development. In addition, isolated pituispheres from normal and tumoral pituitary glands enriched in SC/TSC were characterized. Pituispheres from the 30D glands were positive for the above-mentioned markers and showed a significant increase in the proliferation. In conclusion, our data revealed pituitary SC pool fluctuations during hyperplastic/adenomatous development, with differential localization of the SC/TSC niche in this process. These findings may help to provide a better understanding of these cell populations, which is crucial for achieving advancements in the field of pituitary tumor biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Beatriz Guido
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Liliana Del Valle Sosa
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Pablo Aníbal Perez
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Natacha Zlocoswki
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Fabiola Noelia Velazquez
- CIQUIBIC-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Silvina Gutierrez
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Juan Pablo Petiti
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Jorge Humberto Mukdsi
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Alicia Inés Torres
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Córdoba, Argentina
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5
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Kato Y, Yoshida S, Kato T. New insights into the role and origin of pituitary S100β-positive cells. Cell Tissue Res 2021; 386:227-237. [PMID: 34550453 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-021-03523-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
In the anterior pituitary, S100β protein (S100β) has been assumed to be a marker of folliculo-stellate cells, which are one of the non-hormone-producing cells existing in the parenchyma of the adult anterior lobe and are composed of subpopulations with various functions. However, recent accumulating studies on S100β-positive cells, including non-folliculo-stellate cells lining the marginal cell layer (MCL), have shown the novel aspect that most S100β-positive cells in the MCL and parenchyma of the adult anterior lobe are positive for sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), a marker of pituitary stem/progenitor cells. From the viewpoint of SOX2-positive cells, the majority of these cells in the MCL and in the parenchyma are positive for S100β, suggesting that S100β plays a role in the large population of stem/progenitor cells in the anterior lobe of the adult pituitary. Reportedly, S100β/SOX2-double positive cells are able to differentiate into hormone-producing cells and various types of non-hormone-producing cells. Intriguingly, it has been demonstrated that extra-pituitary lineage cells invade the pituitary gland during prenatal pituitary organogenesis. Among them, two S100β-positive populations have been identified: one is SOX2-positive population which invades at the late embryonic period through the pituitary stalk and another is a SOX2-negative population that invades at the middle embryonic period through Atwell's recess. These two populations are likely the substantive origin of S100β-positive cells in the postnatal anterior pituitary, while S100β-positive cells emerging from oral ectoderm-derived cells remain unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukio Kato
- Institute for Endocrinology, Meiji University, 1-1-1 Higashi-mita, Tama-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan.
| | - Saishu Yoshida
- Department of Biochemistry, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | - Takako Kato
- Institute for Endocrinology, Meiji University, 1-1-1 Higashi-mita, Tama-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan
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6
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Zhang J, Lv C, Mo C, Liu M, Wan Y, Li J, Wang Y. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Analysis of Chicken Anterior Pituitary: A Bird's-Eye View on Vertebrate Pituitary. Front Physiol 2021; 12:562817. [PMID: 34267669 PMCID: PMC8276247 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.562817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well-established that anterior pituitary contains multiple endocrine cell populations, and each of them can secrete one/two hormone(s) to regulate vital physiological processes of vertebrates. However, the gene expression profiles of each pituitary cell population remains poorly characterized in most vertebrate groups. Here we analyzed the transcriptome of each cell population in adult chicken anterior pituitaries using single-cell RNA sequencing technology. The results showed that: (1) four out of five known endocrine cell clusters have been identified and designated as the lactotrophs, thyrotrophs, corticotrophs, and gonadotrophs, respectively. Somatotrophs were not analyzed in the current study. Each cell cluster can express at least one known endocrine hormone, and novel marker genes (e.g., CD24 and HSPB1 in lactotrophs, NPBWR2 and NDRG1 in corticotrophs; DIO2 and SOUL in thyrotrophs, C5H11ORF96 and HPGDS in gonadotrophs) are identified. Interestingly, gonadotrophs were shown to abundantly express five peptide hormones: FSH, LH, GRP, CART and RLN3; (2) four non-endocrine/secretory cell types, including endothelial cells (expressing IGFBP7 and CFD) and folliculo-stellate cells (FS-cells, expressing S100A6 and S100A10), were identified in chicken anterior pituitaries. Among them, FS-cells can express many growth factors, peptides (e.g., WNT5A, HBEGF, Activins, VEGFC, NPY, and BMP4), and progenitor/stem cell-associated genes (e.g., Notch signaling components, CDH1), implying that the FS-cell cluster may act as a paracrine/autocrine signaling center and enrich pituitary progenitor/stem cells; (3) sexually dimorphic expression of many genes were identified in most cell clusters, including gonadotrophs and lactotrophs. Taken together, our data provides a bird's-eye view on the diverse aspects of anterior pituitaries, including cell composition, heterogeneity, cell-to-cell communication, and gene expression profiles, which facilitates our comprehensive understanding of vertebrate pituitary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Can Lv
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunheng Mo
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Meng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiping Wan
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Juan Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yajun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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7
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Abstract
The anterior pituitary is derived from Rathke's pouch precursors, which differentiate into specific hormone-secreting cell lineages. Sustained low postnatal and adult pituitary cell turnover is governed by stem/progenitor cells that undergo slow mitotic activity and give rise to hormone-secreting cells in response to physiological demands and feedback loops. Pituitary cell populations exhibit stem cell properties, which include stem cell marker expression, non-hormone expression, and the ability to self-renew and to potentially differentiate into any of five hormone-secreting cell lineages. Specific signaling pathways underlie differentiated pituitary cell development and regulation. Several validated pituitary stem cell models have been reported and have the potential for functional regeneration of pituitary hormone-secreting cell functions.
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8
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Fontaine R, Royan MR, von Krogh K, Weltzien FA, Baker DM. Direct and Indirect Effects of Sex Steroids on Gonadotrope Cell Plasticity in the Teleost Fish Pituitary. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:605068. [PMID: 33365013 PMCID: PMC7750530 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.605068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The pituitary gland controls many important physiological processes in vertebrates, including growth, homeostasis, and reproduction. As in mammals, the teleost pituitary exhibits a high degree of plasticity. This plasticity permits changes in hormone production and secretion necessary to meet the fluctuating demands over the life of an animal. Pituitary plasticity is achieved at both cellular and population levels. At the cellular level, hormone synthesis and release can be regulated via changes in cell composition to modulate both sensitivity and response to different signals. At the cell population level, the number of cells producing a given hormone can change due to proliferation, differentiation of progenitor cells, or transdifferentiation of specific cell types. Gonadotropes, which play an important role in the control of reproduction, have been intensively investigated during the last decades and found to display plasticity. To ensure appropriate endocrine function, gonadotropes rely on external and internal signals integrated at the brain level or by the gonadotropes themselves. One important group of internal signals is the sex steroids, produced mainly by the gonadal steroidogenic cells. Sex steroids have been shown to exert complex effects on the teleost pituitary, with differential effects depending on the species investigated, physiological status or sex of the animal, and dose or method of administration. This review summarizes current knowledge of the effects of sex steroids (androgens and estrogens) on gonadotrope cell plasticity in teleost anterior pituitary, discriminating direct from indirect effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Fontaine
- Physiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Muhammad Rahmad Royan
- Physiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristine von Krogh
- Physiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Finn-Arne Weltzien
- Physiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dianne M. Baker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA, United States
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9
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Hibara A, Yamaguchi T, Kojima M, Yamano Y, Higuchi M. Nicotine inhibits expression of Prrx1 in pituitary stem/progenitor cells through epigenetic regulation, leading to a delayed supply of growth-hormone-producing cells. Growth Horm IGF Res 2020; 51:65-74. [PMID: 32146343 DOI: 10.1016/j.ghir.2020.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Nicotine, a toxic component of smoking, adversely affects animal growth and reproduction by decreasing secretion of anterior pituitary hormones. However, it has not been clarified whether nicotine inhibits the supply of endocrine cells in the pituitary gland. The present study investigated short- and long-term effects of persistent nicotine exposure on the pituitary glands of young animals. DESIGN Three-week-old male Wistar rats were exposed to nicotine (1 mg/kg body weight/day) for 7 days, and gene expression, cell numbers, and DNA methylation status were analyzed on the following day and 4 weeks after final treatments. RESULTS The expression level of the stem cell marker Sox2 was not changed by nicotine exposure throughout the experiment. On the other hand, nicotine inhibited expression of a progenitor cell marker, Prrx1, and growth hormone (Gh). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the SOX2-positive cells positive for PRRX1 in nicotine-treated groups decreased to 61% (4-week-old) and 70% (8-week-old) of the saline-treated controls. In addition, the proportion of GH-positive cells in nicotine-treated group was 14% lower than that of saline-treated controls. Furthermore, first intron hypermethylation of Prrx1 was detected by a bisulfite sequence of genomic DNA from the anterior lobe of the rat pituitary gland. CONCLUSIONS We show that persistent nicotine exposure in young animals inhibits expression of Prrx1 in pituitary stem/progenitor cells through epigenetic regulation, leading to a delayed supply of GH-producing cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayaka Hibara
- Laboratory of Veterinary Biochemistry, Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-minami, Tottori-shi, Tottori 680-8553, Japan
| | - Takahiro Yamaguchi
- Laboratory of Veterinary Biochemistry, Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-minami, Tottori-shi, Tottori 680-8553, Japan
| | - Miki Kojima
- Laboratory of Veterinary Biochemistry, Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-minami, Tottori-shi, Tottori 680-8553, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Yamano
- Laboratory of Veterinary Biochemistry, Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-minami, Tottori-shi, Tottori 680-8553, Japan
| | - Masashi Higuchi
- Laboratory of Veterinary Biochemistry, Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-minami, Tottori-shi, Tottori 680-8553, Japan.
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10
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Würth R, Thellung S, Corsaro A, Barbieri F, Florio T. Experimental Evidence and Clinical Implications of Pituitary Adenoma Stem Cells. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:54. [PMID: 32153500 PMCID: PMC7044184 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pituitary adenomas, accounting for 15% of diagnosed intracranial neoplasms, are usually benign and pharmacologically and surgically treatable; however, the critical location, mass effects and hormone hypersecretion sustain their significant morbidity. Approximately 35% of pituitary tumors show a less benign course since they are highly proliferative and invasive, poorly resectable, and likely recurring. The latest WHO classification of pituitary tumors includes pituitary transcription factor assessment to determine adenohypophysis cell lineages and accurate designation of adenomas, nevertheless little is known about molecular and cellular pathways which contribute to pituitary tumorigenesis. In malignant tumors the identification of cancer stem cells radically changed the concepts of both tumorigenesis and pharmacological approaches. Cancer stem cells are defined as a subset of undifferentiated transformed cells from which the bulk of cancer cells populating a tumor mass is generated. These cells are able to self-renew, promoting tumor progression and recurrence of malignant tumors, also conferring cytotoxic drug resistance. On the other hand, the existence of stem cells within benign tumors is still debated. The presence of adult stem cells in human and murine pituitaries where they sustain the high plasticity of hormone-producing cells, allowed the hypothesis that putative tumor stem cells might exist in pituitary adenomas, reinforcing the concept that the cancer stem cell model could also be applied to pituitary tumorigenesis. In the last few years, the isolation and phenotypic characterization of putative pituitary adenoma stem-like cells was performed using a wide and heterogeneous variety of experimental models and techniques, although the role of these cells in adenoma initiation and progression is still not completely definite. The assessment of possible pituitary adenoma-initiating cell population would be of extreme relevance to better understand pituitary tumor biology and to identify novel potential diagnostic markers and pharmacological targets. In this review, we summarize the most updated studies focused on the definition of pituitary adenoma stem cell phenotype and functional features, highlighting the biological processes and intracellular pathways potentially involved in driving tumor growth, relapse, and therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Würth
- Section of Pharmacology, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna and Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Stefano Thellung
- Section of Pharmacology, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna and Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Corsaro
- Section of Pharmacology, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna and Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federica Barbieri
- Section of Pharmacology, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna and Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Tullio Florio
- Section of Pharmacology, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna and Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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11
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Fletcher PA, Smiljanic K, Maso Prévide R, Iben JR, Li T, Rokic MB, Sherman A, Coon SL, Stojilkovic SS. Cell Type- and Sex-Dependent Transcriptome Profiles of Rat Anterior Pituitary Cells. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:623. [PMID: 31620083 PMCID: PMC6760010 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the physiology and pathology of an organ composed of a variety of cell populations depends critically on genome-wide information on each cell type. Here, we report single-cell transcriptome profiling of over 6,800 freshly dispersed anterior pituitary cells from postpubertal male and female rats. Six pituitary-specific cell types were identified based on known marker genes and characterized: folliculostellate cells and hormone-producing corticotrophs, gonadotrophs, thyrotrophs, somatotrophs, and lactotrophs. Also identified were endothelial and blood cells from the pituitary capillary network. The expression of numerous developmental and neuroendocrine marker genes in both folliculostellate and hormone-producing cells supports that they have a common origin. For several genes, the validity of transcriptome analysis was confirmed by qRT-PCR and single cell immunocytochemistry. Folliculostellate cells exhibit impressive transcriptome diversity, indicating their major roles in production of endogenous ligands and detoxification enzymes, and organization of extracellular matrix. Transcriptome profiles of hormone-producing cells also indicate contributions toward those functions, while also clearly demonstrating their endocrine function. This survey highlights many novel genetic markers contributing to pituitary cell type identity, sexual dimorphism, and function, and points to relationships between hormone-producing and folliculostellate cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick A. Fletcher
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Kosara Smiljanic
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Rafael Maso Prévide
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - James R. Iben
- Molecular Genomics Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Tianwei Li
- Molecular Genomics Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Milos B. Rokic
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Arthur Sherman
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Steven L. Coon
- Molecular Genomics Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Stanko S. Stojilkovic
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
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12
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Tsukada T, Isowa Y, Kito K, Yoshida S, Toneri S, Horiguchi K, Fujiwara K, Yashiro T, Kato T, Kato Y. Identification of TGFβ-induced proteins in non-endocrine mouse pituitary cell line TtT/GF by SILAC-assisted quantitative mass spectrometry. Cell Tissue Res 2019; 376:281-293. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-018-02989-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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13
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Trifunović S, Milošević V. The Morpho-Functional Parameters of Rat Pituitary Hormone Producing Cells After Genistein Treatment. MACEDONIAN VETERINARY REVIEW 2018. [DOI: 10.1515/macvetrev-2017-0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Phytoestrogens are a diverse group of steroid–like compounds that occur naturally in many plants. There are various types of phytoestrogens, including the best-researched isoflavones which are commonly found in soy. The consumption of soy products has many health benefits, including protection against breast cancer, prostate cancer, menopausal symptoms, heart disease and osteoporosis. In contrast, use of hormonally active compounds-isoflavones may unfortunately interfere with the endocrine system and can have far-reaching consequences. Genistein, the most abundant soy-bean derived isoflavone, possesses a ring system similar to estrogens and acts through an estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated mechanism, by increasing or decreasing the transcription of ER-dependent target genes. Also, genistein can act on cells through ER non-dependent mechanisms, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitor. The neuroendocrine systems are responsible for the control of homeostatic processes in the body, including reproduction, growth, metabolism and energy balance, and stress responsiveness. It is well known, that estrogen is important for development of the neuroendocrine system in both sexes. At the pituitary level, estrogen is known to affect the regulation of all hormone producing (HP) cells, by direct and/or indirect mechanisms. Due to structural and functional resemblance to estrogen, the question may arise of whether and how genistein affects the morphofunctional features of pituitary HP cells. This review deals with the consequences of genistein’s effects on morphological, stereological and hormonal features of HP cells within the anterior pituitary gland. Transparency on this issue is needed because isoflavones are presently highly consumed. Inter alia, genistein as well as other isoflavones, are present in various dietary supplements and generally promoted as an accepted alternative to estrogen replacement therapy. Potential isoflavone biomedical exploitation is not only limited to estrogen replacement therapy, so it should be treated in a wider context of different ageing symptoms remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Trifunović
- Department of Cytology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” , University of Belgrade , Bul Despot Stefan 142, 11060 Belgrade , Serbia
| | - Verica Milošević
- Department of Cytology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” , University of Belgrade , Bul Despot Stefan 142, 11060 Belgrade , Serbia
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14
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Abstract
Cellular senescence is a stable proliferative arrest state. Pituitary adenomas are frequent and mostly benign, but the mechanism for this remains unknown. IL-6 is involved in pituitary tumor progression and is produced by the tumoral cells. In a cell autonomous fashion, IL-6 participates in oncogene-induced senescence in transduced human melanocytes. Here we prove that autocrine IL-6 participates in pituitary tumor senescence. Endogenous IL-6 inhibition in somatotroph MtT/S shRNA stable clones results in decreased SA-β-gal activity and p16INK4a but increased pRb, proliferation and invasion. Nude mice injected with IL-6 silenced clones develop tumors contrary to MtT/S wild type that do not, demonstrating that clones that escape senescence are capable of becoming tumorigenic. When endogenous IL-6 is silenced, cell cultures derived from positive SA-β-gal human tumor samples decrease the expression of the senescence marker. Our results establish that IL-6 contributes to maintain senescence by its autocrine action, providing a natural model of IL-6 mediated benign adenoma senescence.
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15
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Haston S, Manshaei S, Martinez-Barbera JP. Stem/progenitor cells in pituitary organ homeostasis and tumourigenesis. J Endocrinol 2018; 236:R1-R13. [PMID: 28855316 PMCID: PMC5744558 DOI: 10.1530/joe-17-0258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Evidence for the presence of pituitary gland stem cells has been provided over the last decade using a combination of approaches including in vitro clonogenicity assays, flow cytometric side population analysis, immunohistochemical analysis and genetic approaches. These cells have been demonstrated to be able to self-renew and undergo multipotent differentiation to give rise to all hormonal lineages of the anterior pituitary. Furthermore, evidence exists for their contribution to regeneration of the organ and plastic responses to changing physiological demand. Recently, stem-like cells have been isolated from pituitary neoplasms raising the possibility that a cytological hierarchy exists, in keeping with the cancer stem cell paradigm. In this manuscript, we review the evidence for the existence of pituitary stem cells, their role in maintaining organ homeostasis and the regulation of their differentiation. Furthermore, we explore the emerging concept of stem cells in pituitary tumours and their potential roles in these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Haston
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Research ProgrammeBirth Defects Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Saba Manshaei
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Research ProgrammeBirth Defects Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Juan Pedro Martinez-Barbera
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Research ProgrammeBirth Defects Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
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16
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Tsukada T, Yoshida S, Kito K, Fujiwara K, Yako H, Horiguchi K, Isowa Y, Yashiro T, Kato T, Kato Y. TGFβ signaling reinforces pericyte properties of the non-endocrine mouse pituitary cell line TtT/GF. Cell Tissue Res 2017; 371:339-350. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2758-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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17
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Ueharu H, Yoshida S, Kanno N, Horiguchi K, Nishimura N, Kato T, Kato Y. SOX10-positive cells emerge in the rat pituitary gland during late embryogenesis and start to express S100β. Cell Tissue Res 2017; 372:77-90. [PMID: 29130118 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2724-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In the pituitary gland, S100β-positive cells localize in the neurohypophysis and adenohypophysis but the lineage of the two groups remains obscure. S100β is often observed in many neural crest-derived cell types. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the origin of pituitary S100β-positive cells by immunohistochemistry for SOX10, a potent neural crest cell marker, using S100β-green fluorescence protein-transgenic rats. On embryonic day 21.5, a SOX10-positive cell population, which was also positive for the stem/progenitor cell marker SOX2, emerged in the pituitary stalk and posterior lobe and subsequently expanded to create a rostral-caudal gradient on postnatal day 3 (P3). Thereafter, SOX10-positive cells appeared in the intermediate lobe by P15, localizing to the boundary facing the posterior lobe, the gap between the lobule structures and the marginal cell layer, a pituitary stem/progenitor cell niche. Subsequently, there was an increase in SOX10/S100β double-positive cells; some of these cells in the gap between the lobule structures showed extended cytoplasm containing F-actin, indicating a feature of migration activity. The proportion of SOX10-positive cells in the postnatal anterior lobe was lower than 0.025% but about half of them co-localized with the pituitary-specific progenitor cell marker PROP1. Collectively, the present study identified that one of the lineages of S100β-positive cells is a SOX10-positive one and that SOX10-positive cells express pituitary stem/progenitor cell marker genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Ueharu
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan
| | - Saishu Yoshida
- Institute of Reproduction and Endocrinology, Meiji University, Tokyo, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan
| | - Naoko Kanno
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan
| | - Kotaro Horiguchi
- Institute of Reproduction and Endocrinology, Meiji University, Tokyo, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan.,Laboratory of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kyorin University, Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8612, Japan
| | - Naoto Nishimura
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan
| | - Takako Kato
- Institute of Reproduction and Endocrinology, Meiji University, Tokyo, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan
| | - Yukio Kato
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan. .,Institute of Reproduction and Endocrinology, Meiji University, Tokyo, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan. .,Department of Life Science, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, 1-1-1 Higashi-Mita, Tama-Ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan.
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18
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Carreno G, Gonzalez-Meljem JM, Haston S, Martinez-Barbera JP. Stem cells and their role in pituitary tumorigenesis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2017; 445:27-34. [PMID: 27720895 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2016.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The presence of adult pituitary stem cells (PSCs) has been described in murine systems by comprehensive cellular profiling and genetic lineage tracing experiments. PSCs are thought to maintain multipotent capacity throughout life and give rise to all hormone-producing cell lineages, playing a role in pituitary gland homeostasis. Additionally, PSCs have been proposed to play a role in pituitary tumorigenesis, in both adenomas and adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas. In this manuscript, we discuss the different approaches used to demonstrate the presence of PSCs in the murine adult pituitary, from marker analyses to genetic tracing. In addition, we review the published literature suggesting the existence of tumor stem cells in mouse and human pituitary tumors. Finally, we discuss the potential role of PSCs in pituitary tumorigenesis in the context of current models of carcinogenesis and present evidence showing that in contrast to pituitary adenoma, which follows a classical cancer stem cell paradigm, a novel mechanism has been revealed for paracrine, non-cell autonomous tumor initiation in adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma, a benign but clinically aggressive pediatric tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Carreno
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Program, Birth Defects Research Centre, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jose Mario Gonzalez-Meljem
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Program, Birth Defects Research Centre, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Scott Haston
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Program, Birth Defects Research Centre, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Juan Pedro Martinez-Barbera
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Program, Birth Defects Research Centre, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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19
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S100β-Positive Cells of Mesenchymal Origin Reside in the Anterior Lobe of the Embryonic Pituitary Gland. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163981. [PMID: 27695124 PMCID: PMC5047643 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary gland develop through invagination of the oral ectoderm and as they are endocrine tissues, they participate in the maintenance of vital functions via the synthesis and secretion of numerous hormones. We recently observed that several extrapituitary cells invade the anterior lobe of the developing pituitary gland. This raised the question of the origin(s) of these S100β-positive cells, which are not classic endocrine cells but instead comprise a heterogeneous cell population with plural roles, especially as stem/progenitor cells. To better understand the roles of these S100β-positive cells, we performed immunohistochemical analysis using several markers in S100β/GFP-TG rats, which express GFP in S100β-expressing cells under control of the S100β promoter. GFP-positive cells were present as mesenchymal cells surrounding the developing pituitary gland and at Atwell's recess but were not present in the anterior lobe on embryonic day 15.5. These cells were negative for SOX2, a pituitary stem/progenitor marker, and PRRX1, a mesenchyme and pituitary stem/progenitor marker. However, three days later, GFP-positive and PRRX1-positive (but SOX2-negative) cells were observed in the parenchyma of the anterior lobe. Furthermore, some GFP-positive cells were positive for vimentin, p75, isolectin B4, DESMIN, and Ki67. These data suggest that S100β-positive cells of extrapituitary origin invade the anterior lobe, undergoing proliferation and diverse transformation during pituitary organogenesis.
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20
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Vaca AM, Guido CB, Sosa LDV, Nicola JP, Mukdsi J, Petiti JP, Torres AI. The expansion of adult stem/progenitor cells and their marker expression fluctuations are linked with pituitary plastic adaptation during gestation and lactancy. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2016; 311:E367-79. [PMID: 27302752 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00077.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Extensive evidence has revealed variations in the number of hormone-producing cells in the pituitary gland, which occur under physiological conditions such as gestation and lactancy. It has been proposed that new hormone-producing cells differentiate from stem cells. However, exactly how and when this takes place is not clear. In this work, we used immunoelectron microscopy to identify adult pituitary stem/progenitor cells (SC/P) localized in the marginal zone (MZ), and additionally, we detected GFRa2-, Sox2-, and Sox9-positive cells in the adenoparenchyma (AP) by fluorescence microscopy. Then, we evaluated fluctuations of SC/P mRNA and protein level markers in MZ and AP during gestation and lactancy. An upregulation in stemness markers was shown at term of gestation (AT) in MZ, whereas there were more progenitor cell markers in the middle of gestation and active lactancy. Concerning committed cell markers, we detected a rise in AP at beginning of lactancy (d1L). We performed a BrdU uptake analysis in MZ and AP cells. The highest level of BrdU uptake was observed in MZ AT cells, whereas in AP this was detected in d1L, followed by a decrease in both the MZ and AP. Finally, we detected double immunostaining for BrdU-GFRa2 in MZ AT cells and BrdU-Sox9 in the AP d1L cells. Taken together, we hypothesize that the expansion of the SC/P niche took place mainly in MZ from pituitary rats in AT and d1L. These results suggest that the SC niche actively participates in pituitary plasticity during these reproductive states, contributing to the origin of hormone cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Maldré Vaca
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and
| | - Carolina Beatriz Guido
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and
| | - Liliana Del Valle Sosa
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and
| | - Juan Pablo Nicola
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre y Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Jorge Mukdsi
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and
| | - Juan Pablo Petiti
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and
| | - Alicia Ines Torres
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and
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21
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Yoshida S, Higuchi M, Ueharu H, Nishimura N, Tsuda M, Yako H, Chen M, Mitsuishi H, Sano Y, Kato T, Kato Y. Characterization of murine pituitary-derived cell lines Tpit/F1, Tpit/E and TtT/GF. J Reprod Dev 2014; 60:295-303. [PMID: 24881870 PMCID: PMC4139504 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2014-031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The pituitary is an important endocrine tissue of the vertebrate that produces and secretes many hormones. Accumulating data
suggest that several types of cells compose the pituitary, and there is growing interest in elucidating the origin of these cell
types and their roles in pituitary organogenesis. Therein, the histogenous cell line is an extremely valuable experimental tool
for investigating the function of derived tissue. In this study, we compared gene expression profiles by microarray analysis and
real-time PCR for murine pituitary tumor-derived non-hormone-producing cell lines TtT/GF, Tpit/F1 and Tpit/E. Several genes are
characteristically expressed in each cell line: Abcg2, Nestin, Prrx1,
Prrx2, CD34, Eng, Cspg4 (Ng2),
S100β and nNos in TtT/GF; Cxcl12, Raldh1,
Msx1 and Twist1 in Tpit/F1; and Cxadr, Sox9,
Cdh1, EpCAM and Krt8 in Tpit/E. Ultimately, we came to the following conclusions: TtT/GF cells
show the most differentiated state, and may have some properties of the pituitary vascular endothelial cell and/or pericyte.
Tpit/F1 cells show the epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes with stemness still in a transiting state. Tpit/E cells have a
phenotype of epithelial cells and are the most immature cells in the progression of differentiation or in the initial
endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Thus, these three cell lines must be useful model cell lines for investigating pituitary
stem/progenitor cells as well as organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saishu Yoshida
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Regulation, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Japan
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22
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Vankelecom H, Chen J. Pituitary stem cells: where do we stand? Mol Cell Endocrinol 2014; 385:2-17. [PMID: 23994027 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2013.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2013] [Revised: 08/12/2013] [Accepted: 08/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Some 5 years ago, the stem cells of the adult pituitary gland were discovered. Subsequent in-depth characterization revealed expression of several stemness markers and embryo-typical factors. Now, the quest is open to decipher their role in the gland. When and how pituitary stem cells differentiate to contribute to the mature hormone-producing cell populations is not known. New research models support their involvement in cell regeneration after injury in the gland, and suggest a possible role in pituitary tumor formation. From their expression phenotype, pituitary stem cells seem to re-use embryonic developmental programs during the creation of new hormonal cells. Here, we will review the latest progression in the domain of pituitary stem cells, including the uncovering of some new molecular flavors and of the first potential functions. Eventually, we will speculate on their differentiation programs towards hormonal cells, with a particular focus on gonadotropes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Vankelecom
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Cluster Stem Cell Biology and Embryology, Research Unit of Stem Cell Research, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Jianghai Chen
- Department of Hand Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST), Wuhan, Hubei 430022, PR China.
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23
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van Rijn SJ, Tryfonidou MA, Hanson JM, Penning LC, Meij BP. Stem cells in the canine pituitary gland and in pituitary adenomas. Vet Q 2014; 33:217-24. [PMID: 24320563 DOI: 10.1080/01652176.2013.873961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cushing's disease (CD) or pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism is a common endocrinopathy in dogs, with an estimated prevalence of 1 or 2 in 1000 dogs per year. It is caused by an adrenocorticotropic hormone secreting adenoma in the pars distalis or pars intermedia of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a small endocrine gland located in the pituitary fossa. In the postnatal individual, the hypothalamus-pituitary axis plays a central role in maintaining homeostatic functions, like control of metabolism, reproduction, and growth. Stem cells are suggested to play a role in the homeostatic adaptations of the adult pituitary gland, such as the rapid specific cell-type expansion in response to pregnancy or lactation. Several cell populations have been suggested as pituitary stem cells, such as Side Population cells and cells expressing Sox2 or Nestin. These cell populations are discussed in this review. Also, stem and progenitor cells are thought to play a role in pituitary tumorigenesis, such as the development of pituitary adenomas in dogs. There are limited reports on the role of stem cells in pituitary adenomas, especially in dogs. Further studies are needed to identify and characterize this cell population and to develop specific cell targeting therapeutic strategies as a new way of treating canine CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J van Rijn
- a Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , Utrecht University , PO Box 80154, 3508 TD , Utrecht , the Netherlands
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24
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Barbieri F, Thellung S, Würth R, Gatto F, Corsaro A, Villa V, Nizzari M, Albertelli M, Ferone D, Florio T. Emerging Targets in Pituitary Adenomas: Role of the CXCL12/CXCR4-R7 System. Int J Endocrinol 2014; 2014:753524. [PMID: 25484899 PMCID: PMC4248486 DOI: 10.1155/2014/753524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 10/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokines are chemotactic regulators of immune surveillance in physiological and pathological conditions such as inflammation, infection, and cancer. Several chemokines and cognate receptors are constitutively expressed in the central nervous system, not only in glial and endothelial cells but also in neurons, controlling neurogenesis, neurite outgrowth, and axonal guidance during development. In particular, the chemokine CXCL12 and its receptors, CXCR4 and CXCR7, form a functional network that controls plasticity in different brain areas, influencing neurotransmission, neuromodulation, and cell migration, and the dysregulation of this chemokinergic axis is involved in several neurodegenerative, neuroinflammatory, and malignant diseases. CXCR4 primarily mediates the transduction of proliferative signals, while CXCR7 seems to be mainly responsible for scavenging CXCL12. Importantly, the multiple intracellular signalling generated by CXCL12 interaction with its receptors influences hypothalamic modulation of neuroendocrine functions, although a direct modulation of pituitary functioning via autocrine/paracrine mechanisms was also reported. Both CXCL12 and CXCR4 are constitutively overexpressed in pituitary adenomas and their signalling induces cell survival and proliferation, as well as hormonal hypersecretion. In this review we focus on the physiological and pathological functions of immune-related cyto- and chemokines, mainly focusing on the CXCL12/CXCR4-7 axis, and their role in pituitary tumorigenesis. Accordingly, we discuss the potential targeting of CXCR4 as novel pharmacological approach for pituitary adenomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Barbieri
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 2-16132 Genova, Italy
- *Federica Barbieri:
| | - Stefano Thellung
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 2-16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Roberto Würth
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 2-16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Federico Gatto
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 2-16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Corsaro
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 2-16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Valentina Villa
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 2-16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Mario Nizzari
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 2-16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Manuela Albertelli
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 2-16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Diego Ferone
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 2-16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Tullio Florio
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 2-16132 Genova, Italy
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25
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Nassiri F, Cusimano M, Zuccato JA, Mohammed S, Rotondo F, Horvath E, Syro LV, Kovacs K, Lloyd RV. Pituitary stem cells: candidates and implications. Pituitary 2013; 16:413-8. [PMID: 23423660 DOI: 10.1007/s11102-013-0470-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The pituitary is the master endocrine gland of the body. It undergoes many changes after birth, and these changes may be mediated by the differentiation of pituitary stem cells. Stem cells in any tissue source must display (1) pluripotent capacity, (2) capacity for indefinite self-renewal, and (3) a lack of specialization. Unlike neural stem cells identified in the hippocampus and subventricular zone, pituitary stem cells are not associated with one specific cell type. There are many major candidates that are thought to be potential pituitary stem cell sources. This article reviews the evidence for each of the major cell types and discuss the implications of identifying a definitive pituitary stem cell type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farshad Nassiri
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada.
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26
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Characterization of a pituitary-tumor-derived cell line, TtT/GF, that expresses Hoechst efflux ABC transporter subfamily G2 and stem cell antigen 1. Cell Tissue Res 2013; 354:563-72. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-013-1686-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 06/25/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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27
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Lloyd RV, Hardin H, Montemayor-Garcia C, Rotondo F, Syro LV, Horvath E, Kovacs K. Stem cells and cancer stem-like cells in endocrine tissues. Endocr Pathol 2013; 24:1-10. [PMID: 23435637 DOI: 10.1007/s12022-013-9235-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Cancer stem-like cells are a subpopulation of self-renewing cells that are more resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy than the other surrounding cancer cells. The cancer stem cell model predicts that only a subset of cancer cells possess the ability to self-renew and produce progenitor cells that can reconstitute and sustain tumor growth. Evidence supporting the existence of cancer stem-like cells in the thyroid, pituitary, and in other endocrine tissues is rapidly accumulating. These cells have been studied using specific biomarkers including: CD133, CD44, Nestin, Nanog, and aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme. Putative cancer stem-like cells can be studied in vitro using serum-free media supplemented with basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor grown in low attachment plates or in extracellular matrix leading to sphere formation in vitro. Cancer stem-like cells can also be separated by fluorescent cell sorting and used for in vitro or in vivo studies. Injection of enriched populations of cancer stem-like cells (also referred to as tumor initiating cells) into immunodeficient mice results in growth of xenografts which express cancer stem-like biomarkers. Human cancer stem-like cells have been identified in thyroid cancer cell lines, in primary thyroid cancers, in normal pituitary, and in pituitary tumors. Other recent studies suggest the existence of stem cells and cancer stem-like cells in endocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, lungs, adrenal, parathyroid, and skin. New discoveries in this field may lead to more effective therapies for highly aggressive and lethal endocrine cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo V Lloyd
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, K4/436 CSC 8550, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
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28
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Morphometric analysis of the human anterior pituitary's folliculostellate cells during the aging process. Ann Anat 2012; 195:231-7. [PMID: 23295121 DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2012.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2012] [Revised: 11/10/2012] [Accepted: 11/13/2012] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Folliculostellate cells represent non-endocrine cells of the anterior pituitary which influence the function of the endocrine cells via paracrine action. Though there is a lack of literature data on their presence during human aging, the aim of this research was to perform the quantification of anterior pituitary folliculostellate cells by the application of immunohistochemical and morphometric methods. The material for the study consisted of 15 anterior pituitaries taken from cadavers at routine autopsy. Their tissue was processed by standard histological procedure and the obtained histological slices were stained by S100 polyclonal antibody. Digital images of stained histological sections were analyzed by morphometric method with ImageJ system. The volume density of S100 positive cells was measured for each case. Results of morphometric and statistical analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between folliculostellate cell volume density and the age of the evaluated cases. Linear regression additionally showed that the age significantly predicts folliculostellate cells volume density in our sample. Further, all cases were classified into three age groups and One Way ANOVA showed that the volume density of folliculostellate cells was significantly higher only in the third age group in relation to the first and the second group, respectively. Volume densities of the first and the second age groups were not significantly different. So, the results of our study pointed to the conclusion that folliculostellate cells presence generally increases with age, but this increase is significant only in the oldest cases and might represent the modality of successful anterior pituitary aging.
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29
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Susa T, Kato T, Yoshida S, Yako H, Higuchi M, Kato Y. Paired-related homeodomain proteins Prx1 and Prx2 are expressed in embryonic pituitary stem/progenitor cells and may be involved in the early stage of pituitary differentiation. J Neuroendocrinol 2012; 24:1201-12. [PMID: 22577874 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2012.02336.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We recently cloned a paired-related homeodomain protein Prx2 as a novel factor in the pituitary. In the present study, we investigated the ontogenic profiles of Prx2 and another cognate Prx1 in the rat embryonic pituitary. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed low expression of Prx2 and a marked increase of Prx1 on rat embryonic day (E)20.5. Immunohistochemical analyses using an antibody that recognises both proteins, with the aim of investigating their roles in pituitary organogenesis, demonstrated that PRXs first appear in the Rathke's pouch on E13.5 in the pituitary stem/progenitor cells expressing Prop1 and Sox2. After E16.5, the number of Prx-expressing cells was increased in both anterior and intermediate lobes. SOX2(+) stem/progenitor cells in the intermediate lobe started to produce PRXs, and PRX(+) /SOX2(+) /PROP1(+) -cells were present on the anterior side of the marginal cell layer and were scattered in the parenchyma of the anterior lobe. On the other hand, PRX(+) -cells negative for PROP1 and SOX2 were located in the anterior lobe. Analysis of the relationship with pituitary endocrine cells revealed that a part of PRX(+) /PROP1(-) /SOX2(-) -cells in the anterior lobe co-expressed all types of hormones. The proportion of co-localisation of PRXs and hormones was highest on the day each hormone first appeared. These data indicate that PRXs are produced in the pituitary progenitor cells and may play roles in the process of terminal differentiation during early pituitary organogenesis. An in vitro small interfering RNA-knockdown experiment in the pituitary-derived cell line, TtT/GF, revealed that PRX1 and PRX2 play roles in proliferation by different mechanisms because knockdown of Prx2, but not Prx1, induced the p21 expression. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that 76% of PRXs(+) cells were positive for a cell proliferation marker Ki67 in the E18.5 pituitary. This is the first report of the involvement of PRX1 and PRX2 in organogenesis of tissue originating from the ectoderm other than the mesoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Susa
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kanagawa, Japan
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30
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Perez-Castro C, Renner U, Haedo MR, Stalla GK, Arzt E. Cellular and molecular specificity of pituitary gland physiology. Physiol Rev 2012; 92:1-38. [PMID: 22298650 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00003.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The anterior pituitary gland has the ability to respond to complex signals derived from central and peripheral systems. Perception of these signals and their integration are mediated by cell interactions and cross-talk of multiple signaling transduction pathways and transcriptional regulatory networks that cooperate for hormone secretion, cell plasticity, and ultimately specific pituitary responses that are essential for an appropriate physiological response. We discuss the physiopathological and molecular mechanisms related to this integrative regulatory system of the anterior pituitary gland and how it contributes to modulate the gland functions and impacts on body homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Perez-Castro
- Laboratorio de Regulación de la Expresión Génica en el Crecimiento, Supervivencia y Diferenciación Celular,Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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31
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Yoshida S, Kato T, Yako H, Susa T, Cai LY, Osuna M, Inoue K, Kato Y. Significant quantitative and qualitative transition in pituitary stem / progenitor cells occurs during the postnatal development of the rat anterior pituitary. J Neuroendocrinol 2011; 23:933-43. [PMID: 21815952 PMCID: PMC3258424 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02198.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
We reported recently that a pituitary-specific transcription factor PROP1 is present in SOX2-positive cells and disappears at the early stage of the transition from progenitor cell to committed cell during the embryonic development of the rat pituitary. In the present study, we examined the localisation and identification of SOX2-positive and PROP1/SOX2-positive cells in the neonatal and postnatal rat pituitaries by immunohistochemistry. Quantitative analysis of immunoreactive cells demonstrated that SOX2-positive pituitary stem/progenitor cells are not only predominantly localised in the marginal cell layer, but also are scattered in the parenchyma of the adult anterior lobe. In the marginal cell layer, the number of PROP1/SOX2-positive cells significantly decreased after postnatal day 15, indicating that a significant quantitative transition is triggered in the marginal cell layer during the first postnatal growth wave of the anterior pituitary. By contrast, other phenotypes of SOX2-positive stem/progenitor cells that express S100β appeared in the postnatal anterior pituitary. These data suggested that quantitative and qualitative transition occurs by acquisition of a novel mechanism in terminal differentiation in the postnatal development of the anterior pituitary.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Yoshida
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kanagawa, Japan
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32
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Castinetti F, Davis SW, Brue T, Camper SA. Pituitary stem cell update and potential implications for treating hypopituitarism. Endocr Rev 2011; 32:453-71. [PMID: 21493869 PMCID: PMC3369576 DOI: 10.1210/er.2010-0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells have been identified in organs with both low and high cell turnover rates. They are characterized by the expression of key marker genes for undifferentiated cells, the ability to self-renew, and the ability to regenerate tissue after cell loss. Several recent reports present evidence for the presence of pituitary stem cells. Here we offer a critical review of the field and suggest additional studies that could resolve points of debate. Recent reports have relied on different markers, including SOX2, nestin, GFRa2, and SCA1, to identify pituitary stem cells and progenitors. Future studies will be needed to resolve the relationships between cells expressing these markers. Members of the Sox family of transcription factors are likely involved in the earliest steps of pituitary stem cell proliferation and the earliest transitions to differentiation. The transcription factor PROP1 and the NOTCH signaling pathway may regulate the transition to differentiation. Identification of the stem cell niche is an important step in understanding organ development. The niche may be the marginal zone around the lumen of Rathke's pouch, between the anterior and intermediate lobes of mouse pituitary, because cells in this region apparently give birth to all six pituitary hormone cell lineages. Stem cells have been shown to play a role in recurrent malignancies in some tissues, and their role in pituitary hyperplasia, pituitary adenomas, and tumors is an important area for future investigation. From a therapeutic viewpoint, the ability to cultivate and grow stem cells in a pituitary predifferentiation state might also be helpful for the long-term treatment of pituitary deficiencies.
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33
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Zabka TS, Fielden MR, Garrido R, Tao J, Fretland AJ, Fretland JL, Albassam MA, Singer T, Kolaja KL. Characterization of Xenobiotic-Induced Hepatocellular Enzyme Induction in Rats. Toxicol Pathol 2011; 39:664-77. [DOI: 10.1177/0192623311406934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
During routine safety evaluation of RO2910, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor for HIV infection, histopathology findings concurrent with robust hepatocellular induction occurred in multiple organs, including a unique, albeit related, finding in the pituitary gland. For fourteen days, male and female rats were administered, by oral gavage vehicle, 100, 300, or 1000 mg/kg/day of RO2910. Treated groups had elevated serum thyroid-stimulating hormone and decreased total thyroxine, and hypertrophy in the liver, thyroid gland, and pituitary pars distalis. These were considered consequences of hepatocellular induction and often were dose dependent and more pronounced in males than in females. Hepatocellular centrilobular hypertrophy corresponded with increased expression of cytochrome P450s 2B1/2, 3A1, and 3A2 and UGT 2B1. Bilateral thyroid follicular cell hypertrophy occurred concurrent to increased mitotic activity and sometimes colloid depletion, which were attributed to changes in thyroid hormone levels. Males had hypertrophy of thyroid-stimulating hormone–producing cells (thyrotrophs) in the pituitary pars distalis. All findings were consistent with the well-established adaptive physiologic response of rodents to xenobiotic-induced hepatocellular microsomal enzyme induction. Although the effects on the pituitary gland following hepatic enzyme induction-mediated hypothyroidism have not been reported previously, other models of stress and thyroid depletion leading to pituitary stimulation support such a shared pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja S. Zabka
- Roche Pharmaceuticals, Nonclinical Safety, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Rosario Garrido
- Roche Pharmaceuticals, Nonclinical Safety, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jianhua Tao
- Genentech, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | | | | | - Thomas Singer
- Roche Pharmaceuticals, Nonclinical Safety, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kyle L. Kolaja
- Roche Pharmaceuticals, Nonclinical Safety, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
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Abstract
The pituitary gland represents the endocrine core of the body, and its hormonal output governs many key physiological processes. Because endocrine demands frequently change, the pituitary has to flexibly remodel its hormone-producing cell compartment. One mechanism of pituitary plasticity may rely on the generation of new hormonal cells from resident stem/progenitor cells. Existence of such 'master' cells in the pituitary has in the past repeatedly been postulated. Only recently, however, very plausible candidates have been identified that express stem cell-associated markers and signalling factors, and display the stem/progenitor cell characteristics of multipotency, efflux capacity (side population phenotype) and niche-like organization. In other adult tissues, stem cells recapitulate the embryonic developmental path on their course towards mature specialized cells. Interestingly, the pituitary stem/progenitor cell compartment shows prominent expression of transcriptional regulators and signalling factors that play a pivotal role during pituitary embryogenesis. This review summarizes the recent progress in pituitary stem/progenitor cell identification, highlights their potential embryonic phenotype, sketches a tentative stem/progenitor cell model, and discusses further research and challenges. Recognizing and scrutinizing the pituitary stem/progenitor cells as embryonic players in the adult gland may profoundly impact on our still poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying pituitary cell turnover and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Vankelecom
- Laboratory of Tissue Plasticity, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, University of Leuven (K.U.Leuven), B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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35
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Rizzoti K. Adult pituitary progenitors/stem cells: from in vitro characterization to in vivo function. Eur J Neurosci 2011; 32:2053-62. [PMID: 21143660 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07524.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells/progenitors are being discovered in a growing number of adult tissues. They have been hypothesized for a long time to exist in the pituitary, especially because this gland is characterized by its plasticity as it constantly adapts its hormonal response to evolving needs, under the control of the hypothalamus. Recently, five labs have reported the presence of adult progenitors in the gland and shown their endocrine differentiation potential, using different in vitro assays, selection methods and markers to purify and characterize these similar cell populations. These will be discussed here, highlighting common points, and also differences. Thanks to these recent developments it is now possible to integrate progenitors into the physiology of the gland, and uncover their participation in normal but also pathological situations. Moreover, experimental situations inducing generation of new endocrine cells can now be re-visited in light of the involvement of progenitors, and also used to better understand their role. Some of these aspects will also be developed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Rizzoti
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan H. Sherman
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Roberto Salvatori
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa
- Department of Neurosurgery and Oncology, Brain Tumor Stem Cell Laboratory and Neurosurgical Outcomes Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
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37
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Nestin-Cre mice are affected by hypopituitarism, which is not due to significant activity of the transgene in the pituitary gland. PLoS One 2010; 5:e11443. [PMID: 20625432 PMCID: PMC2897851 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2010] [Accepted: 06/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nestin-Cre mice express Cre recombinase under control of the rat nestin promoter and central nervous system (CNS) enhancer. While endogenous Nestin is expressed in some other tissues including the pituitary gland, Nestin-Cre mice induce recombination predominantly in the CNS. For this reason, they have been widely used to explore gene function or cell fate in the latter. Pituitary hormonal deficiencies, or hypopituitarism, are associated with a wide range of symptoms and with a significant morbidity. These can have a neural and/or a pituitary origin as the gland's secretions are controlled by the hypothalamus. We report here that Nestin-Cre mice themselves are affected by mild hypopituitarism. Hence, physiological consequences are expected, especially in combination with defects resulting from Cre mediated deletion of any gene under investigation. To further investigate the origin of this phenotype, we re-examined the activity of the transgene. We compared it with expression of Nestin itself in the context of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis, especially in the light of a recent report showing pituitary Nestin-Cre activity, which contrasts with previous data. Our results disagree with those of this recent study and do not support the claim that Nestin positive cells are present in the pituitary anlagen, the Rathke's pouch (RP). Moreover we did not observe any significant activity in the post-natal pituitary, in agreement with the initial report.
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38
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Vankelecom H, Gremeaux L. Stem cells in the pituitary gland: A burgeoning field. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2010; 166:478-88. [PMID: 19917287 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2009.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2009] [Revised: 11/02/2009] [Accepted: 11/10/2009] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The pituitary gland represents the endocrine core of the organism, and is well-known for its cellular plasticity in order to meet the body's fluctuating hormonal demands. In the past, it has repeatedly been postulated that the pituitary harbors tissue-specific stem cells that participate in the generation of new endocrine cells during this dynamic cell remodeling, as well as during the slow but robust homeostatic turnover of the gland. However, their presence and identity remained elusive until this conundrum recently attracted renewed interest. Our discovery of a 'side population' using flow cytometry was the first step towards a more convincing candidate stem/progenitor cell population in the endocrine anterior pituitary. Since then, several other groups have endeavored to search for pituitary stem/progenitor cells, which finally culminated in the identification of very strong candidates. Multiple markers were put forward, among which the pluripotency transcription factor Sox2 occupies center stage. Now that very plausible pituitary stem/progenitor cells can be isolated and assayed, detailed characterization of their involvement in pituitary cell remodeling during basal renewal, dynamic adaptation and potential response to injury is around the corner, and is expected to significantly advance our knowledge on pituitary biology. In addition, a comprehensive study of the stem/progenitor cells may guide us to a better understanding of pituitary hormonal deficiencies, as well as of pituitary tumorigenesis in which 'cancer stem cells' may play a central role. Nevertheless, many questions remain to be resolved, and future challenges are huge. In this review, we provide a detailed overview of the exciting recent developments in the pituitary stem cell quest. In addition we pinpoint some discordant findings and include a number of cautionary and critical reflections. The recent acceleration in pituitary stem cell research may initiate a very exciting era in the pituitary field. May we say that "La nouvelle hypofyse est arrivée"?
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Vankelecom
- Laboratory of Tissue Plasticity, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, University of Leuven (K.U.Leuven), B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Romero CJ, Nesi-França S, Radovick S. The molecular basis of hypopituitarism. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2009; 20:506-16. [PMID: 19854060 PMCID: PMC2787976 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2009.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2009] [Revised: 06/26/2009] [Accepted: 06/30/2009] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Hypopituitarism is defined as the deficiency of one or more of the hormones secreted by the pituitary gland. Several developmental factors necessary for pituitary embryogenesis and hormone secretion have been described, and mutations of these genes in humans provide a molecular understanding of hypopituitarism. Genetic studies of affected patients and their families provide insights into possible mechanisms of abnormal pituitary development; however, mutations are rare. This review characterizes several of these developmental proteins and their role in the pathogenesis of hypopituitarism. Continuing research is required to better understand the complexities and interplay between these pituitary factors and to make improvements in genetic diagnosis that can lead to early detection and provide a future cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Romero
- Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, CMSC 4-106, Baltimore, MD 21208, USA
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Chen J, Gremeaux L, Fu Q, Liekens D, Van Laere S, Vankelecom H. Pituitary progenitor cells tracked down by side population dissection. Stem Cells 2009; 27:1182-95. [PMID: 19418455 DOI: 10.1002/stem.51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The pituitary gland represents the endocrine core, governing the body's hormonal landscape by adapting its cellular composition to changing demands. It is assumed that stem/progenitor cells are involved in this remodeling. Recently, we uncovered a candidate stem/progenitor cell population in the anterior pituitary. Here, we scrutinized this "side population" (SP) and show that, unexpectedly, not the subset expressing high levels of "stem cell antigen-1" (Sca1(high)) but the remainder non-Sca1(high) fraction clusters the pituitary progenitor cells. Transcriptomal interrogation revealed in the non-Sca1(high) SP upregulated expression of the pituitary stem/progenitor cell markers Sox2 and Sox9, and of multiple factors critically involved in pituitary embryogenesis. The non-Sca1(high) SP encloses the cells that generate spheres and display multipotent hormone differentiation capacity. In culture conditions selecting for the non-Sca1(high) subset within the SP, stem cell growth factors that induce SP expansion, affect transcription of embryonic factors, suggesting impact on a developmental program that unfolds within this SP compartment. Non-Sca1(high) SP cells, revealed by Sox2 expression, are observed in the postulated periluminal stem/progenitor cell niche, but also in small groups scattered over the gland, thereby advocating the existence of multiple niches. In early postnatal mice undergoing a pituitary growth wave, Sox2(+) cells are more abundant than in adults, concordant with a larger SP and higher non-Sca1(high) proportion. Together, we tracked down pituitary progenitor cells by SP phenotype, and thus provide a straightforward method to isolate and scrutinize these cells from the plastic pituitary ex vivo, as well as a culture system for in-depth exploration of their regulatory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghai Chen
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Laboratory of Tissue Plasticity, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
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Garcia-Lavandeira M, Quereda V, Flores I, Saez C, Diaz-Rodriguez E, Japon MA, Ryan AK, Blasco MA, Dieguez C, Malumbres M, Alvarez CV. A GRFa2/Prop1/stem (GPS) cell niche in the pituitary. PLoS One 2009; 4:e4815. [PMID: 19283075 PMCID: PMC2654029 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2008] [Accepted: 01/27/2009] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The adult endocrine pituitary is known to host several hormone-producing cells regulating major physiological processes during life. Some candidates to progenitor/stem cells have been proposed. However, not much is known about pituitary cell renewal throughout life and its homeostatic regulation during specific physiological changes, such as puberty or pregnancy, or in pathological conditions such as tumor development. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We have identified in rodents and humans a niche of non-endocrine cells characterized by the expression of GFRa2, a Ret co-receptor for Neurturin. These cells also express b-Catenin and E-cadherin in an oriented manner suggesting a planar polarity organization for the niche. In addition, cells in the niche uniquely express the pituitary-specific transcription factor Prop1, as well as known progenitor/stem markers such as Sox2, Sox9 and Oct4. Half of these GPS (GFRa2/Prop1/Stem) cells express S-100 whereas surrounding elongated cells in contact with GPS cells express Vimentin. GFRa2+-cells form non-endocrine spheroids in culture. These spheroids can be differentiated to hormone-producing cells or neurons outlining the neuroectoderm potential of these progenitors. In vivo, GPSs cells display slow proliferation after birth, retain BrdU label and show long telomeres in its nuclei, indicating progenitor/stem cell properties in vivo. SIGNIFICANCE Our results suggest the presence in the adult pituitary of a specific niche of cells characterized by the expression of GFRa2, the pituitary-specific protein Prop1 and stem cell markers. These GPS cells are able to produce different hormone-producing and neuron-like cells and they may therefore contribute to postnatal pituitary homeostasis. Indeed, the relative abundance of GPS numbers is altered in Cdk4-deficient mice, a model of hypopituitarism induced by the lack of this cyclin-dependent kinase. Thus, GPS cells may display functional relevance in the physiological expansion of the pituitary gland throughout life as well as protection from pituitary disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montse Garcia-Lavandeira
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Víctor Quereda
- Cell Division and Cancer Group, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncologicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Flores
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Saez
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio, Seville, Spain
| | - Esther Diaz-Rodriguez
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Japon
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio, Seville, Spain
| | - Aymee K. Ryan
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University (MUHC), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Maria A. Blasco
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Dieguez
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- CIBER Obesity & Nutrition (ISCIII), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Marcos Malumbres
- Cell Division and Cancer Group, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncologicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail: (MM); (CVA)
| | - Clara V. Alvarez
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- * E-mail: (MM); (CVA)
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Heinzlmann A, Köves K. The characteristic change in the distribution of S-100 immunoreactive folliculostellate cells in rat anterior pituitary upon long-term estrogen treatment is prevented by concomitant progesterone treatment. Endocrine 2008; 33:342-8. [PMID: 19082791 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-008-9096-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2008] [Accepted: 06/26/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The presence of folliculostellate cells in the anterior pituitary was described 49 years ago. These cells give about 10% of the whole cell population and through their long processes they provide intrahypophyseal communication. The folliculostellate cells contain S-100 protein. Its immunostaining was used to identify these cells. It was previously found that the diethylstilbestrol treatment basically influences the morphology and function of the trophic hormone secreting as well as the folliculostellate cells. In the present experiment, we have studied whether a concomitant progesterone treatment can prevent or attenuate changes caused by diethylstilbestrol treatment in the distribution of folliculostellate, prolactin, and GH cells. Diethylstilbestrol alone induced the appearance of prolactinomas. Inside the prolactinomas, folliculostellate cells were scattered but outside the prolactinomas they formed a demarcation line. Inside the prolactinomas, there were only a few growth hormone immunoreactive cells but they surrounded the prolactinomas in a ring-like pattern. When diethylstilbestrol was implanted with progesterone, the changes being characteristic for diethylstilbestrol treatment, could not develop. Concomitant progesterone influence prevented morphological changes in the anterior pituitary. Progesterone alone had no effect. In accordance with the formation of prolactinomas, the plasma prolactin level was very high in diethylstilbestrol treated rats. Concomitant progesterone treatment prevented the effect of diethylstilbestrol. Progesterone alone did not influence the prolactin level. GH levels did not significantly differ in any groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Heinzlmann
- Department of Human Morphology and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Tuzoltó u. 58, Budapest 1094, Hungary
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SOX2-expressing progenitor cells generate all of the major cell types in the adult mouse pituitary gland. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105:2907-12. [PMID: 18287078 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0707886105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 250] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The pituitary gland adapts the proportion of each of its endocrine cell types to meet differing hormonal demands throughout life. There is circumstantial evidence that multipotent adult progenitor cells contribute to this plasticity, but these cells have not been identified. Here, we describe a small (<0.05%) population of progenitor cells in the adult pituitary gland. We show that these cells express SOX2, a marker of several early embryonic progenitor and stem cell types, and form "pituispheres" in culture, which can grow, form secondary spheres, and differentiate to all of the pituitary endocrine cell types, as well as folliculostellate cells. Differentiation of cells in the pituispheres was associated with the expression of nestin, SOX9, and S100. Cells expressing SOX2 and E-cadherin are found throughout Rathke's pouch (RP) in embryos but persist in the adult gland, mostly in a narrow zone lining the pituitary cleft, but also are scattered throughout the pituitary. However, unlike in embryonic RP, most of these SOX2(+) cells in the adult gland also express SOX9 and S100. We suggest that this SOX2(+)/SOX9(+) population represents transit-amplifying cells, whereas the SOX2(+)/SOX9(-) cells we identify are multipotent progenitor/stem cells persisting in the adult pituitary.
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