Aurora Aiello1,2, Maria Francesca Cassarino3, Simona Nanni2, Antonella Sesta3,4, Francesco Ferraú5, Claudio Grassi6, Marco Losa7, Francesco Trimarchi8, Alfredo Pontecorvi2, Salvatore Cannavò9, Francesca Pecori Giraldi3,4, Antonella Farsetti10. 1. Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, National Research Council, Rome, 00143, Italy. 2. Institute of Medical Pathology, Università Cattolica, Rome, 00168, Italy. 3. Neuroendocrinology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, 20095, Italy. 4. Deparment of Clinical Sciences & Community Health, Università di Milano, Milan, 20122, Italy. 5. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, 98125, Italy. 6. Institute of Human Physiology, Università Cattolica, Rome, 00168, Italy. 7. Department of Neurosurgery, Ospedale San Raffaele IRCCS, Milan, 20132, Italy. 8. Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti, University of Messina, Messina, 98125, Italy. 9. Department of Childhood and Adulthood Human Pathology G. Barresi, University of Messina, Messina, 98125, Italy. 10. Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, National Research Council, Rome, 00143, Italy. antonella.farsetti@cnr.it.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to generate immortalized human anterior pituitary adenoma cells. Reliable cell models for the study of human pituitary adenomas are as yet lacking and studies performed so far used repeated passaging of freshly excised adenomas, with the attendant limitations due to limited survival in culture, early senescence, and poor reproducibility. METHODS & RESULTS: We devised a technique based upon repeated co-transfections of two retroviral vectors, one carrying the catalytic subunit of human telomerase, hTERT, the other SV40 large T antigen. This approach extended the lifespan of cells derived from a human growth hormone-secreting adenoma up to 18 months while retaining morphology of primary cells, growth hormone synthesis and growth hormone secretion. CONCLUSIONS: Our attempt represents the first demonstration of successful lifespan extension of human growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma cells via co-transfection of hTERT and SV40T and paves the way to future attempts to obtain stable cell lines.
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to generate immortalized human anterior pituitary adenoma cells. Reliable cell models for the study of humanpituitary adenomas are as yet lacking and studies performed so far used repeated passaging of freshly excised adenomas, with the attendant limitations due to limited survival in culture, early senescence, and poor reproducibility. METHODS & RESULTS: We devised a technique based upon repeated co-transfections of two retroviral vectors, one carrying the catalytic subunit of human telomerase, hTERT, the other SV40 large T antigen. This approach extended the lifespan of cells derived from a humangrowth hormone-secreting adenoma up to 18 months while retaining morphology of primary cells, growth hormone synthesis and growth hormone secretion. CONCLUSIONS: Our attempt represents the first demonstration of successful lifespan extension of humangrowth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma cells via co-transfection of hTERT and SV40T and paves the way to future attempts to obtain stable cell lines.
Authors: D C Danila; X Zhang; Y Zhou; G R Dickersin; J A Fletcher; E T Hedley-Whyte; M K Selig; S R Johnson; A Klibanski Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2000-03 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: F Pecori Giraldi; S Pesce; P Maroni; L Pagliardini; G Lasio; M Losa; F Cavagnini Journal: J Neuroendocrinol Date: 2010-01-27 Impact factor: 3.627