Genetics of endocrine tumours

Major advances have been made in the understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying endocrine tumorigenesis, through the study of several syndromes of genetic predisposition and the identification of the genes involved. The syndrome of type / multiple endocrine neoplosia (MEN-1) is one of the best known; this autosomal dominant hereditary syndrome predisposes to the development of endocrine tumors of the pituitary, the parathyroids, the foregut and the adrenals. The responsible gene, known as MEN-1, encodes an original protein, menin, involved in several major cellular functions, such as the control of cell proliferation and differentiation. Type 2 multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN-2) is an autosomal dominant hereditary syndrome associated with the development Of medullary carcinomas of the thyroid, pheochromocytomas and hyperparathyroidism; the corresponding gene, RET encodes a transmembrane receptor with tyrosine kinase activity. Endocrine tumors are also associated with non Hippel-Lindau disease and with phacomatoses, such as type I neurofibromatosis and tuberous sclerosis. Finally, isolated familial syndromes of endocrine tumors have been described : isolated familial hyperparathyroidism type II (HRPT2), associated with alterations in a gene coding for an original protein, parafibromin, or isolated familial syndromes of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PRG) associated with mutations in the genes SDHB, SDHC or SDHD, which encode succinate-dehydrogenase subunits, The understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying these syndromes of predisposition is essential for the diagnosis and management of these patients and their family; it also gives insight on the molecular mechanisms of endocrine tumorigenesis.