An Old New Friend: Folliculo-Stellate Cells in Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) represent a complex pathology based on numerous incompletely elucidated molecular mechanisms. Beyond tumor cells, analyzing the tumor microenvironment may help identify novel prognostic markers and therapies. A key component of this environment is the follic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cells (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 14; no. 13; p. 1019
Main Authors: Nastase, Valeria-Nicoleta, Burcea, Iulia Florentina, Dumitriu-Stan, Roxana Ioana, Ceausu, Amalia Raluca, Zara, Flavia, Poiana, Catalina, Raica, Marius
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 03.07.2025
MDPI
Subjects:
Adrenocorticotropic hormone
Adult
Aged
Angiogenesis
Blood vessels
Cell differentiation
Development and progression
DNA binding proteins
Endothelial cells
Female
FS cells
GFAP
Glial fibrillary acidic protein
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - metabolism
Growth factors
Growth hormones
Hormones
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Male
Middle Aged
Molecular modelling
Morphology
Neuroendocrine tumors
Neuroendocrine Tumors - metabolism
Neuroendocrine Tumors - pathology
Neurosurgery
Null cells
Pharmacy
Pit1 protein
PitNETs
Pituitary (anterior)
Pituitary hormones
Pituitary Neoplasms - metabolism
Pituitary Neoplasms - pathology
Statistical analysis
Stellate cells
Transcription factors
Tumor cells
Tumor microenvironment
Tumorigenesis
Tumors
United Kingdom
Romania
United Kingdom > UK
Bucharest Romania
blood vessels
FS cells
PitNETs
GFAP
ISSN:2073-4409, 2073-4409
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) represent a complex pathology based on numerous incompletely elucidated molecular mechanisms. Beyond tumor cells, analyzing the tumor microenvironment may help identify novel prognostic markers and therapies. A key component of this environment is the folliculo-stellate (FS) cell. We examined FS cells in 77 PitNETs obtained by transsphenoidal surgery, using glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) as an immunohistochemical marker. Immunohistochemistry for anterior pituitary hormones and transcription factors was performed to accurately classify the tumors. Our study included 19 somatotroph, 16 mammosomatotroph, 5 plurihormonal PIT-1 positive, 7 corticotroph, 14 gonadotroph, 11 unusual plurihormonal, and 5 null cell PitNETs. FS cells were observed in 55 of the cases, distributed isolated, in small groups or diffuse networks. A considerable number of tumors immunopositive for more than one hormone (including associations between GH/PRL, but also unusual combinations like GH/ACTH) also contained FS cells (p < 0.01), suggesting their involvement in tumor lineages differentiation. In 27 tumors, GFAP-positive cells clustered in highly vascularized areas. Additionally, in 11 of these cases a direct interaction between endothelial cells and FS cells was noted, sustaining their potential role in tumor angiogenesis. Given their complexity, FS cells may be crucial for understanding tumorigenesis mechanisms.
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ISSN:2073-4409
2073-4409
DOI:10.3390/cells14131019