Studies on the PI3K-mTOR pathway as cytostatic treatment target in pituitary adenomas [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Vesna Cerovac

Studies on the PI3K/mTOR pathway as cytostatic treatment target in pituitary adenomas Dissertation der Fakultät für Biologie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Vorgelegt von Vesna Cerovac München, 01. März 2010 Erstgutachter: Prof. Dr. Rainer Landgraf Zweitgutachter: Prof. Dr. Angelika Böttger Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 21.07.2010 Table of contents ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................................... iii SUMMARY ................................. iv ZUSAMMENFASSUNG ............................................................................ vi 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................ 1 1.1 The pituitary gland .......................................................................... 1 1.2 Pituitary adenomas .......................................... 3 1.3 Current treatment for pituitary adenomas ........................................ 5 1.3.1 Dopamine agonists ................................................................... 6 1.3.2 Somatostatin analogs 7 1.3.3 Antiproliferative somatostatin receptor signaling .................................................... 8 1.4 Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway....................... 9 1.4.1 Sstr2 & the MAPK pathway .................................................... 9 1.