The High Mobility Group A2 gene is amplified and overexpressed in human prolactinomas

Palma Finelli, Giovanna Maria Pierantoni, Daniela Giardino, Marco Losa, Ornella Rodeschini, Monica Fedele, Emanuele Valtorta, Pietro Mortini, Carlo M. Croce, Lidia Larizza, Alfredo Fusco

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Trisomy of chromosome 12 is a nonrandom chromosomal change in pituitary adenomas, particularly prolactinomas. This and the finding that prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas develop in transgenic mice overexpressing the wild-type HMGA2 gene (which maps to 12q14-15) prompted us to investigate HMGA2 rearrangements and expression in human prolactinomas. By dual-color interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis using HMGA2-specific PACs and BACs, we found that the HMGA2 locus was amplified in seven of the eight prolactinoma samples examined. The cytogenetic manifestations of elevated HMGA2 concentrations ranged from simple trisomy to tetrasomy 12 and der(12) chromosomes to marker chromosomes bearing 12q14-15-derived regions. Reverse transcription-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis showed HMGA2 overexpression in a number of prolactinomas bearing rearrangement of regions 12q14-15. These data suggest a critical role of the HMGA2 overexpression in the generation of prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas in humans.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2398-2405
Number of pages8
JournalCancer Research
Volume62
Issue number8
Publication statusPublished - Apr 15 2002

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cancer Research
  • Oncology

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