Context: Serum pituitary antibodies (Pit Abs) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been described in pituitary adenomas, but their clinical significance remains unknown.
Objective: The objective of the study was to assess Pit Abs and TILs prevalence in pituitary adenomas and their influence on clinical outcome.
Design: This was a prevalence case-control study.
Patients and setting: Two hundred ninety-one pituitary adenoma cases (110 non-secreting, 30 ACTH-69 GH-71 prolactin- and 13 TSH-secreting adenoma; 177 operated and 114 untreated), 409 healthy controls, and 14 autoimmune hypophysitis were enrolled in a tertiary referral center.
Intervention: Pit Abs were measured using immunofluorescence in all cases and controls (n = 714). The presence of TILs was evaluated using CD45 staining in a subset of adenomas surgically treated (n = 72).
Main outcome measure: Clinical response of pituitary adenoma after surgery was evaluated.
Results: Pit Abs prevalence was higher in adenomas (5.1%) than healthy subjects (0.7%, P < 0.0001) and lower than in autoimmune hypophysitis patients (57%, P < 0.0001). Similarly, TILs prevalence was higher in adenomas than normal pituitary (P = 0.01) and lower than in autoimmune hypophysitis (P < 0.0001). No correlation between Pit Abs and TILs was found (P = 0.78). A poor clinical outcome was more common in adenoma patients with TILs (11 of 18, 61%) than in those without (17 of 54, 31%, P = 0.026). Multivariate regression analysis identified the presence of TILs as independent prognostic factor for persistence/recurrence of pituitary adenoma.
Conclusions: TILs and Pit Abs are present in a significant number of pituitary adenoma patients. Cell-mediated immunity appears to be predictive of a less favorable clinical outcome.