Isolation of large numbers of dispersed human pituitary adenoma cells obtained by aspiration.

Since the extent of in vitro experiments with human pituitary adenoma cells is often limited by the small number of cells isolated from surgical specimens, ways to obtain more cells are of interest. In this study we made use of tumor tissue removed by aspiration through a suction tube during transsphenoidal surgery. Fifteen out of 28 adenomas could be dispersed without enzymatic treatment. The other 13 adenomas were mildly treated with Dispase. The large number of red blood cells present in the suction tube were removed by Ficoll-Isopaque density centrifugation. More than 90% of the adenoma cells were recovered from the interphase fraction. This material, in contrast with fragments obtained with a forceps, yielded 35.9 (+/-9.0) X 10(6) cells (mean +/- SE, n = 28). Usually less than 10% of these cells were mononuclear leucocytes. Pituitary hormones other than those hypersecreted in vivo were not found in the incubation media; only small amounts of LH were found in 5 out of 25 adenomas. A linear relationship was found between cell concentration and hormone secretion, both for PRL and GH. In vitro hormone secretion by the adenoma cells was in good agreement with in vivo dynamic tests. In longterm culture, GH and ACTH secretion by the adenoma cells declined, while PRL secretion was fairly constant. It is concluded that large numbers of dispersed pituitary adenoma cells can be obtained from the material removed by suction during transsphenoidal operation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)