Endocrinological analysis of SOX2 positive cells in pituitary adenoma

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25462276
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurosurgery
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Yunoue Shunji 鹿児島大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 客員研究員 (20404478)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Arita Kazunori 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域医学系, 教授 (90212646) ; Hirano Hirofumi 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域医学部・歯学部附属病院, 講師 (00264416) ; Takano Kouji 北里大学, 医学部, 准教授 (20236243) ; OYOSHI Tatsuki 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域医学部・歯学部附属病院, 講師 (80315407)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 下垂体腺腫 / SOX2

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recent study revealed that SOX2 protein was transcriptional factor that contributed a development of pituitary gland. Therefore, we speculated that SOX2 positive cells play an important role in endocrinologic phenotypes of pituitary adenoma.
In this study, we show that the pituitary adenoma contains a small population of SOX2 positive cells that, is preferentially present in functioning adenoma. But, SOX2 positive cell is not hormone producing cells.
We hypothesized that SOX2 positive cells in pituitary adenoma also maintain the tumor, that these cell is present as a reserve of hormone producing cells or flicullostellate cells.　To elucidate the role of SOX2 positive cells in pituitary adenoma, further study is necessary.

Free Research Field

脳神経外科、分子生物学