Premium
Immunohistochemical nestin expression in nontumorous human pituitaries and pituitary tumors
Author(s) -
Rotondo Fabio,
Kovacs Kalman,
Horvath Eva,
Bell C David,
Lloyd Ricardo V,
Scheithauer Bernd W
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a1088-d
Subject(s) - nestin , immunostaining , biology , pathology , immunohistochemistry , immunocytochemistry , endocrinology , stem cell , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , neural stem cell
The objective of the study was to investigate whether nestin, a member of the intermediary filament family, is expressed in autopsy‐obtained nontumorous human pituitaries and in surgically‐removed pituitary tumors. Twenty‐three formalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded pituitaries and 125 adenohypophysial tumors of varying cell type were examined. Nestin was demonstrated by the streptavidin‐biotin‐peroxidase complex method. Several nontumorous corticotrophs showed mild cytoplasmic immunostaining. No nestin immunopositivity was found in other adenohypophysial cells or in pituitary adenomas. Nestin was, however, expressed in some endothelial cells in the anterior and posterior lobes, as well as in scattered pituicytes, nerve fibers and Herring bodies. In contrast to CD‐34 and Factor‐8 preparations that show positivity in practically all endothelial cells, nestin expression was only focal, thus suggesting that the functional state of immunoreactive and immunonegative endothelial cells differed. No correlation was noted between nestin immunoreactivity and patient age, gender, tumor size, mitotic index, Ki‐67 labeling index, hormonal profile or tumor type. In conclusion, nestin immunostaining in pituitary adenomas cannot be used as a marker of cell proliferation or as a prognostic indicator. The patchy immunoreactivity in endothelial cells suggests that nestin is expressed in endothelial cells of newly formed capillaries. This work was supported by the Jarislowsky and Lloyd Carr‐Harris Foundations.