Granins as biochemical, immunohistochemical and metabolic markers of nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas

Abstract

Granins are glycoproteins presented in granules of neuroendocrine cells, they regulate secretory pathway that is responsible for controlled delivery of peptides, hormones and neurotransmitters, and growth factors, organization of the granular matrix, and the mechanisms of administration after hormone secretion The highest accuracy has been observed in neuroendocrine tumors characterized by an intense secretory activity, but its specificity and sensitivity remain very high also in nonfunctioning tumors. The granins application as the markers of nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas would allow the early disease detection, assessment the secretory capacity of tumor, and differential diagnosis with autoimmune forms of pituitary lesions. Furthermore, granins can be used as markers of related metabolic disorders, especially of cardiovascular diseases.