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Constitutively Active Gs Is Associated with an Increased Phosphodiesterase Activity in Human Growth Hormone-Secreting Adenomas¹

Institute of Endocrine Sciences, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS (A.L., E.B., S.M., A.S.), Italian Auxological Institute IRCCS (L.P.), and Department of Neurosurgery, Scientific Institute San Raffaele (M.L.), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Anna Spada, M.D., Istituto di Scienze Endocrine Ospedale Maggiore, IRCCS, via Francesco Sforza 35, 20122 Milano, Italy. E-mail: endosci{at}imiucca

Because phosphodiesterase (PDE) expression and activity are controlled by cAMP, we investigated whether activating mutations of Gs gene that occur in human GH-secreting adenomas are associated with increased PDE activity. We studied 10 adenomas with wild-type Gs (gsp-) and 8 with mutant Gs (gsp+). Although, in the absence of PDE inhibitors, intracellular cAMP levels were similar in gsp+ e gsp- adenomas, the PDE blockade with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine induced a marked increase in cAMP in all but one gsp+ adenoma (% increase: from 77 to 2900) and a slight rise in only 2 gsp-. Similar results were obtained with the PDE4 selective inhibitor 4-[3-(cyclopentyloxy)-4-methoxyphenyl]-2-pyrrolidinone. In vitro GH release was significantly higher in gsp+ than in gsp- adenomas (315 ± 158 vs. 82 ± 53 µg/well; P < 0.01), and PDE blockade caused a further increase in 3 of 5 gsp+ adenomas but not in gsp- tumors. By direct measurement, PDE activity was about 7-fold higher in gsp+ than in gsp- adenomas (320 ± 213 vs. 48 ± 23 pmol/min·mg protein; P < 0.05) and was largely 4-[3-(cyclopentyloxy)-4-methoxyphenyl]-2-pyrrolidinone sensitive. This study first demonstrates that activating mutations of the Gs gene that naturally occur in pituitary adenomas is associated with an increased PDE activity that might, at least partially, counteract the constitutive activation of the cAMP-dependent pathway.

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