The hidden hedgehog of the pituitary: hedgehog signaling in development, adulthood and disease of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis

Frontiers in Endocrinology

Endocrinology

Anja Uhmann¹  Heidi Hahn¹  Yehan Bian¹ 

[1] Institute of Human Genetics, Molecular Developmental Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany;

关键词: hedgehog signaling;    pituitary development;    hypothalamic-pituitary axis;    hormone production;    pituitary disorders;    pituitary tumors;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fendo.2023.1219018

 received in 2023-05-08, accepted in 2023-06-19,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Hedgehog signaling plays pivotal roles in embryonic development, adult homeostasis and tumorigenesis. However, its engagement in the pituitary gland has been long underestimated although Hedgehog signaling and pituitary embryogenic development are closely linked. Thus, deregulation of this signaling pathway during pituitary development results in malformation of the gland. Research of the last years further implicates a regulatory role of Hedgehog signaling in the function of the adult pituitary, because its activity is also interlinked with homeostasis, hormone production, and most likely also formation of neoplasms of the gland. The fact that this pathway can be efficiently targeted by validated therapeutic strategies makes it a promising candidate for treating pituitary diseases. We here summarize the current knowledge about the importance of Hedgehog signaling during pituitary development and review recent data that highlight the impact of Hedgehog signaling in the healthy and the diseased adult pituitary gland.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Bian, Hahn and Uhmann