Eur J Anat, 19 (3): 229-247 (2015)

Morphological evidence of the possible relevance of aromatase P450 in autoparacrine regulation and pathology of the hypophysis

José Carretero^1,2, Enrique J. Blanco^1,2, María C. Iglesias-Osma^2,3, Marta Carretero-Hernández¹, Manuel Carretero⁴, Teresa Vázquez⁵, Pablo Alvarez⁶, María J. García-Barrado^2,3

¹Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Spain, ²Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, INCyL and IBSAL, University of Salamanca, Spain, ³Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Spain, ⁴Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Catholic University of Salamanca, Spain, ⁵Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology I, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain, ⁶Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain

ABSTRACT Aromatase P450, the enzyme responsible for the catabolism of aromatizable androgens to estrogens is involved in sexual dimorphism and several pathologies induced by estrogenic effects. The present work reports evidence of pituitary aromatase synthesis, its regulation by gonadal steroids, and the physiological roles of aromatase on pituitary endocrine cells. The involvement of aromatase, through the auto-paracrine production of estradiol, in the pathogenesis of pituitary tumors -mainly prolactinomas- is reviewed.

Keywords: Pituitary gland, Aromatase, Prolactin, Paracrine regulation