Increased menin expression in sporadic pituitary adenomas.

Background: Germline mutations of the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) tumour-suppressor gene are responsible for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1, and menin, the MEN1 gene product, is usually downregulated or truncated in MEN1-associated adenomas. In contrast, exonic MEN1 mutations seem to be very rare in sporadic (MEN1-unrelated) pituitary adenomas, and it has been suggested that menin does not play a major role in these tumours. However, menin might be involved in sporadic adenoma tumorigenesis by downregulation through intronic mutations, epigenetic, posttranscriptional or posttranslational mechanisms.