ACTH

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is a peptide hormone synthesized and secreted by anterior pituitary cells, and it plays a pivotal regulatory role in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. During stress, ACTH can regulate material metabolism and inhibit inflammation by promoting the production of adrenal cortex hormone, ensuring the body adapts to the stressful environment. In clinical practice, ACTH is a crucial indicator for functional classification of pituitary adenoma. Its IHC staining combined with inferior petrosal sinus sampling has become an important diagnostic method for ACTH adenoma. Meanwhile, ACTH is expressed in primary pituitary tumor but not in metastatic pituitary tumor, which makes it become a differential biomarker. In addition, some scholars pointed out that the neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) that can abnormally secrete ACTH has been found in lung, kidney, thymus, pancreas and other organs, so ACTH can assist in the diagnosis of the NEN, and its staining results have reference significance for the treatment and prognosis of patients.