SNAP-25, a synaptosome-associated exocytosis protein of 25 kd mw, plays an important role in the secretory activity of several endocrine cells. In the present study, we investigated surgically removed pituitary adenomas including 40 prolactin (PRL), 31 growth hormone, 5 adrenocorticotropic hormone, 5 thyroid-stimulating hormone, 14 follicle-stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone/alpha-subunit-producing tumors, and 5 null cell adenomas. Among the 40 patients with PRL-producing pituitary adenoma, 16 had been preoperatively treated with the dopamine agonist bromocriptine. Similarly, of the 31 patients with GH-producing pituitary adenomas, 15 had been treated with the long-acting somatostatin analog, octreotide. All tumors were subjected to transsphenoidal surgery, formalin-fixed, routinely processed, and paraffin-embedded. Sections of 4 to 6-microm thickness were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and the periodic acid-Schiff as well as the Gordon-Sweet silver methods. Immunostaining for SNAP-25 (streptavidin-biotin peroxidase complex method) showed that 10 PRL-producing adenomas were strongly immunoreactive. Immunopositivity was mainly cell membrane in distribution but several cells showed mild cytoplasmic staining. Nuclei were immunonegative. Preoperative bromocriptine treatment markedly decreased SNAP-25 immunopositivity. Among GH-producing adenomas, SNAP-25 was seen in 5 cases; reactivity being mild-to-moderate, membrane-bound, and cytoplasmic. Octreotide caused no significant reduction in immunopositivity. Other adenoma types were virtually immunonegative. Six autopsy-derived human pituitaries and 4 surgically obtained nontumorous pituitaries were also immunonegative for SNAP-25. It is conceivable that SNAP-25 plays an important role in PRL release and is involved in the bromocriptine-induced suppression of PRL secretion from PRL-producing adenoma cells.