bcl-2 gene prevents apoptosis in murine ACTH-secreting adenoma cells induced by bromocriptine

Abstract

Bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist, is now an accepted primary therapeutic agent for patients with prolactinomas and other pituitary adenomas. However, the mechanism by which bromocriptine decreases elevated serum levels of prolactin or growth hormone and shrinks tumors by diminishing tumor cell size is not clear. Recently, we obtained bromocriptine induced apoptosis in murine ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma (AtT-20) cells, based on DNA fragmentation assay and cell cycle analysis (unpublished data). In this study, we demonstrate that enforced expression of bcl-2 gene in AtT-20 cells by the MPZenNeo(bcl-2) retroviral gene transfer increased resistance to apoptosis induced by bromocriptine.