Pituitary crosstalk with bone, adipose tissue and brain

Traditional textbook physiology has ascribed unitary functions to hormones from the anterior and posterior pituitary gland, mainly in the regulation of effector hormone secretion from endocrine organs. However, the evolutionary biology of pituitary hormones and their receptors provides evidence for a broad range of functions in vertebrate physiology. Over the past decade, we and others have discovered that thyroid-stimulating hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, prolactin, oxytocin and arginine vasopressin act directly on somatic organs, including bone, adipose tissue and liver. New evidence also indicates that pituitary hormone receptors are expressed in brain regions, nuclei and subnuclei. These studies have prompted us to attribute the pathophysiology of certain human diseases, including osteoporosis, obesity and neurodegeneration, at least in part, to changes in pituitary hormone levels. This new information has identified actionable therapeutic targets for drug discovery. This Review discusses newly discovered functions of pituitary hormones on bone, adipose tissue and the brain. Mechanisms of pituitary hormone actions on somatic organs and neural function are outlined. The role of dysregulated pituitary hormone function in multiple diseases and the potential for targeting ligands and receptors therapeutically are discussed. Contrary to textbook physiology, pituitary hormones have ubiquitous functions and are the basis of important regulatory circuits that continue to evolve.Endocrine diseases, such as osteoporosis, that were traditionally attributed to a single effector hormone are far more complicated than originally thought.Pituitary hormones, such as follicle-stimulating hormone, act directly on both peripheral and central targets to contribute to the development of several diseases, such as osteoporosis, obesity and Alzheimer disease.The pituitary-multiorgan circuitry could be exploited therapeutically to prevent and treat diseases driven by pituitary hormones.

Automated summary

Traditional textbook physiology has underestimated the functions of pituitary hormones, attributing them to single effector hormone regulation. However, recent studies have shown that pituitary hormones have broader functions in vertebrate physiology, acting directly on various somatic organs and regions of the brain. This new information provides therapeutic targets for diseases such as osteoporosis and obesity.