Hormone resistance of pituitary tumors and Cushing disease explained

[~MaryO~]

From http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive...6/23/c3257.html

 

Hormone resistance of pituitary tumors and Cushing disease explained

 

MONTREAL, Oct. 23 /CNW Telbec/ - Montr?al scientists led by Dr Jacques

Drouin, researcher at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montr?al (IRCM),

and collaborators from around the world (Canada, France, the Netherlands and

United States) unravel mechanism of hormone resistance in pituitary tumors of

Cushing disease patients.

 

Cushing disease is caused by pituitary tumors that produce excessive

amounts of hormone because the tumor cells have become resistant to negative

feedback control by a class of steroid hormones, glucocorticoids. In Cushing

disease, this excessive hormone production can lead to hypertension, obesity,

diabetes and osteoporosis. Through detailed molecular investigation of the

mechanism of this negative feedback, a Montr?al research group has identified

two essential components (proteins) of this feedback mechanism. Extrapolating

from these basic studies, they have shown that about half of the pituitary

tumors from Cushing disease patients are deficient in expression of either of

these proteins, thus providing a molecular explanation for the hormone

resistance that is the hallmark, and likely first event, in the formation of

these tumors. The novel insight provided by knowledge of the basic mechanism

of hormone resistance will lead to the rational design of therapeutic

approaches for the better management of Cushing disease patients. This insight

will also help understand other forms of hormone resistant cancers.

This work is published in Genes and Development (Bilodeau et al, Genes

Dev 2006, 20:2871- 2886) and it was supported by grants from the Canadian

Cancer Society and from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

 

Dr. Jacques Drouin is the Director of the Molecular Genetics Research

Unit at IRCM. He holds the GlaxoSmithKline Chair in Molecular Genetics.

 

The IRCM (www.ircm.qc.ca) is recognized as one of the country's

top-performing research centres. It has a mandate to establish links between

research and patients, promote the prevention of illness, and train a new

generation of high-level scientists. The IRCM has 37 research units and a

staff of more than 450. The IRCM is also affiliated to Universit? de Montr?al.

 

 

 

For further information: Lucette Th?riault, Communications Director,

Institut de recherches cliniques de Montr?al, (514) 987-5535,

lucette.theriault@ircm.qc.ca

[justashell]

Thanks Mary!

[pbutton]

thanks MaryO

 

I wonder if there is an underlying paper that explains all the detail?

 

Prettybutton