Cushing's disease due to plurihormonal adrenocorticotropic hormone and gonadotropin-producing pituitary adenoma

Acta Neuropathol. 2001 Oct;102(4):398-403. doi: 10.1007/s004010100376.

Abstract

A 67-year-old woman presented with clinical features of hypercortisolism in association with an invasive pituitary macroadenoma. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent Cushing's disease was documented, and the resected tumor was chromophobic, weakly positive with periodic-Schiff reagent, and showed immunostaining for ACTH and beta-endorphin in a minority of adenoma cells. Both luteinizing hormone and alpha-subunit staining were also observed, but no follicle-stimulating hormone reactivity was seen. Ultrastructurally, the tumor showed typical features of a gonadotroph adenoma of female type. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that ACTH was not produced in corticotrophs, but in cells with the characteristic features of gonadotrophs. This represents the second report of a plurihormonal gonadotroph adenoma producing sufficient ACTH to result in pituitary-dependent Cushing's disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoma / chemistry
  • Adenoma / complications*
  • Adenoma / pathology
  • Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / analysis*
  • Aged
  • Cushing Syndrome / etiology*
  • Female
  • Gonadotropins / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Luteinizing Hormone / analysis
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Microscopy, Immunoelectron
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / complications*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Gonadotropins
  • Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
  • Luteinizing Hormone