Ultrastructural and molecular evidence of macroautophagy in functioning PitNETs and experimental pituitary tumors

Introduction: Macroautophagy is a lysosome-mediated degradation process that controls the quality of cytoplasmic components and organelles, with its regulation depending on autophagy-related proteins (Atg) and with Beclin1/Atg6 and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3/Atg8) being key players in the mammalian autophagy. As reports on this mechanism in the field of pituitary neuropathology and neuroendocrinology are scarce, our study analyzed the ultrastructural signs of macroautophagy and the expression of Beclin1 and LC3 proteins in human functioning PitNETs and in experimental pituitary tumors. Methods: a group of functioning humans PitNETs and an experimental lactotroph model in rats of the F344 strain stimulated with oestradiol benzoate (BE) were used. Ultrastructural and molecular evidence of the macroautophagic process was evaluated using different techniques. Results: In functioning PitNETs cohort, 60% exhibited evidence of macroautophagy, with a significant difference found for Beclin1 and LC3 between macro and micro PitNETs (p
Source: Neuroendocrinology - Category: Endocrinology Source Type: research