Pituitary tumourigenesis remains poorly understood as a process, although several promising candidate genes have been identified. The lack of genuine marker genes within pituitary tumours has led investigators to focus on alternative angles to improve the understanding of potential mechanisms of pathogenesis. In the current issue of Endocrine-Related Cancer, Shan et al. (2012) report that the novel RWD domain containing protein, RWD-containing sumoylation enhancer, is expressed in human pituitary adenomas and plays a pivotal role in regulating the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α–vascular endothelial growth factor response to hypoxia (Shan et al. (2012) Endocrine-Related Cancer 19 13-27 DOI: 10.1530/ERC-11-0211).

Fowkes and Vlotides have a written a commentary on this work and state that these findings expand our understanding of angiogenic mechanisms involved in pituitary tumourigenesis. They also suggest that further studies are needed to examine the effects of RSUME–HIF1α–VEGF pathway blockade on autocrine and paracrine induction pathways of pituitary tumour angiogenesis and cell proliferation and, indeed, within other endocrine tumours. Fowkes and Vlotides (2012) Endocrine-Related Cancer 19 C1-C5.

Read the full article at DOI: 1530/ERC-11-0297.