Autoimmune pituitary disease: New concepts with clinical implications.

Autoimmune pituitary disease: New concepts with clinical implications. Endocr Rev. 2019 Sep 12;: Authors: Yamamoto M, Iguchi G, Bando H, Kanie K, Hidaka-Takeno R, Fukuoka H, Takahashi Y Abstract Some endocrine disorders, including hypophysitis and isolated ACTH deficiency, are caused by an autoimmune response to endocrine organs. Although the pathogenesis of some autoimmune endocrine diseases has been elucidated, it remains obscure for most. Anti-PIT-1 hypophysitis (anti-PIT-1 antibody syndrome) is a newly described pituitary autoimmune disease characterized by acquired and specific growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) deficiencies. This disorder is associated with a thymoma or neoplasm that ectopically expresses PIT-1 protein. Circulating anti-PIT-1 antibody is a disease marker, and PIT-1-reactive cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) play a pivotal role in disease development. In addition, isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency appears to be caused by autoimmunity to corticotrophs; however, the pathogenesis remains unclear. A recently described case of isolated ACTH deficiency with large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) showed ectopically expressed proopiomelanocortin (POMC), and circulating anti-POMC antibody and POMC-reactive CTLs were also detected. As CTL infiltrations around corticotrophs were also observed, isolated ACTH deficiency may be associated at least in part with a parane...
Source: Endocrine Reviews - Category: Endocrinology Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: research