# REGULATION OF PITUITARY HYPERLASIA AND NEOPLASIA

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 1992 · $185,942

## Abstract

The factors controlling rat pituitary hyperplasia and neoplastic
development will be investigated.  Analysis of the control of pituitary
proliferation and prolactin gene expression by estrogen, basic
fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and specific hypothalamic hormones
including growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) and gonadotropin
releasing hormone (GnRH) will be investigated in vitro in defined
serum-free media and in vivo. The regulatory role of the pituitary
specific transcription factor Pit-1 on prolactin expression and on cell
growth will be investigated in vitro directly and with anti-sense
oligonucleotides.  A new model of pituitary cell hyperplasia using GH3
cells transfected with the GHRH and GnRH genes will be developed to
analyze the sequential development of hyperplasia and the possible
progression to neoplasia in the rat pituitary.  The role of the
folliculo-stellate pituitary cells in pituitary tumor development will
be investigated.  These cells produce bFGF and S-100 protein.  We have
found that S-100 protein stimulates prolactin hormone secretion.
Because folliculo-stellate cells are increased in hyperplastic
pituitaries and are not present in transplantable pituitary tumors,
these cells may play a critical role during tumor development.  Analysis
of enriched populations of folliculo-stellate cells by coculture
experiments with normal and hyperplastic prolactin cells and with
transplantable pituitary tumor cells will provide new information about
the role of folliculo-stellate cells in tumor development.  The effects
of estrogen on prolactin gene methylation and on possible modification
in the dopamine and estrogen receptor proteins during tumor development
will also be investigated with our well-established models of pituitary
hyperplasia.  The long-term objections of this study are to analyze the
mechanism by which estrogen, bFGF and specific hypothalamic hormones
influence hyperplasia and neoplastic development in pituitary tissues in
order to gain more information about the biology of pituitary cells.
The data from these studies may lead to a better understanding of the
development of pituitary neoplasms and may provide more effective means
of treating these neoplasms.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3175054
- **Project number:** 2R01CA037238-08A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **SAM.gov UEI:** GNJ7BBP73WE9
- **Principal Investigator:** Ricardo Vincent Lloyd
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $185,942
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1984-03-01 → 1994-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3175054

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3175054, REGULATION OF PITUITARY HYPERLASIA AND NEOPLASIA (2R01CA037238-08A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3175054. Licensed CC0.

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