Pituitary somatotropic function and autoimmunity parameters in the primary "empty" sella turcica syndrome

Abstract

Antibodies to surface antigens of rat adenohypophysis (ASAG) and human somatotropinoma cells (AHST) were studied in 48 patients with primary "empty"sella turcica syndrome by cellular enzyme immunoassay, antibodies to somatotropic hormone (STH) were radioimmunoassayed, and STH reserves were studied by insulin hypoglycemia test in order to detect a probable relationship between the development of somatotropic insufficiency and autoimmune process in pituitary tissue. The patients were divided into 2 groups by the results of insulin test: with STH insufficiency (54.2%) and normal STH secretion (45.8%). ASAG and AHST were detected in 52 and 27% patients, respectively; the incidence of these antibodies in the patients with STH deficiency and normal secretion of STH was virtually the same. Antibodies to STH were detected in 2 patients with STH insufficiency and in 3 with normal STH secretion, and their presence did not correlate with the presence of antipituitary antibodies. High incidence of ASAG and AHST does not rule out the possibility of lymphocytic hypophysitis in at least some of examined patients.