Pituitary Adenoma Drug Discovery Service

Creative Biolabs is an experienced provider of leading technologies in the neuroscience research field. Our scientists have integrated global resources to provide one-stop solutions for pituitary adenomas research, which enable researchers and developers to understand the further molecular pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas, and thus develop therapies in the future.

Pituitary adenomas are benign clonal neoplasms of the neuroendocrine epithelial cells of the adenohypophysis, which are the cause of acromegaly, gigantism, headaches, visual changes, etc. The anterior pituitary gland consolidates stimulatory and inhibitory signals from both central and peripheral systems, which are responsible for endocrine and neurological functions. Along with the functional disorders of hormone secretion and mutations in specific genes, functional pituitary cells develop hyperplasia, invagination, or reversible plastic benign adenomas. The complex molecular pathogenesis and neuropathological features of pituitary adenomas have already been described. Creative Biolabs helps researchers utilize the known information about the genetic lesion to develop corresponding postoperative therapies.

Mechanism of Action Studies of Pituitary Adenoma

With the support of recognized academic and professional researchers, Creative Biolabs is dedicated to providing you with comprehensive pituitary adenoma expertise and helping you to learn more about the underlying mechanism of the disease. Mutations of early developmental genes such as Lhx3, Rpx, Pitx2, and Lhx4 have negative impacts on the adjacent midline structures, which result in pituitary hypoplasia and pituitary hormone insufficiency. Mutations of Prop1, Pit1, and Tpit genes cause pituitary hormone deficiencies with hypoplasia. The pituitary gland consists of different cell types including thyrotrophs, somatotrophs, lactotrophs, gonadotrophs, and corticotrophs. The pituitary gland is stimulated by central and peripheral signals, which leads to enhanced cell proliferation and decreased cell apoptosis in pituitary cells and therefore the formation of tumors. Each of these cell types expresses specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to adapt to distinct hormones, including growth hormone (GH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). These hormones regulate growth, sexual development and function, lactation, stress responses, and metabolism. Oversecretion of GH leads to metabolic dysfunction associated with acromegaly and acral overgrowth. PRL hypersecretion is involved in gonadal failure, secondary infertility, and galactorrhea. Hypersecretion of ACTH results in Cushing disease, with features of hypercortisolism. TSH oversecretion results in hyperthyroxinemia and goiter.

Fig.1 Model for the development of human anterior pituitary cell lineage determination by a temporally controlled cascade of transcription factors. (Melmed, 2003)

Pituitary Adenoma Solutions at Creative Biolabs

Although surgery via transsphenoidal resection, radiation, and radiosurgery are the primary treatment for growth hormone- and ACTH-secreting adenomas, Creative Biolabs is still committed to providing comprehensive one-stop solutions to assist in the development of novel therapeutics.

The development of pituitary adenoma therapies at Creative Biolabs achieves treatment goals of controlling hormone hypersecretion or deficiencies, reducing tumor size to improve symptoms of mass effect, and relieving clinical symptoms.

• Dopamine agonists relieve hyperprolactinemia symptoms, reduce tumor size, restore reproductive function, and restore normal vision in patients with prolactinomas.
• The dopaminergic agent inhibits ACTH secretion in patients with pituitary Cushing disease.
• The growth hormone receptor antagonist reduces the production of IGF-1 in patients with growth hormone-secreting adenomas.

Our services include but are not limited to in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo services. We provide cell cultures, brain slices, and transgenic animal models for research in pituitary hyperplasia, tumor phenotypes, and mutations of genes that regulate pituitary functions. Our development services enable researchers to understand further molecular MoA in pituitary adenomas and to explore therapeutics with our discovery services. The scheme below illustrates our platform and one-stop solution for translational research and integrated research in pituitary adenoma.

If you have the intention to customize your preclinical pituitary adenoma drug discovery projects, please contact us for more information.

Reference

1. Melmed, S. Mechanisms for pituitary tumorigenesis: the plastic pituitary. The Journal of clinical investigation. 2003, 112(11): 1603-1618.