title: A polyclonal antiserum against chromogranin A and B--a new sensitive marker for neuroendocrine tumours.
abstract: Chromogranins A, B, and C, proteins that are co-stored and co-released with peptides and amines, have been identified in a variety of neuroendocrine tissues, both normal and neoplastic. We examined the secretion of chromogranin A and chromogranin A + B by hormone-producing tumours in patients with endocrine pancreatic tumours, carcinoid tumours, pheochromocytomas, and small cell lung cancer. The radioimmunoassay determining the plasma concentrations of chromogranin A + B showed a greater sensitivity than that determining chromogranin A alone. All patients with endocrine pancreatic tumours, carcinoids, and pheochromocytomas had increased levels of chromogranin A + B, whereas a small number of the patients (5/18 with endocrine pancreatic tumours and 1/3 with pheochromocytomas) had normal levels of chromogranin A. Also in immunocytochemical stainings, our polyclonal antiserum detecting both chromogranin A and B showed a greater sensitivity than other available antisera against chromogranin A, B and C. We have demonstrated that a polyclonal antiserum against a mixture of chromogranin A and B might be a more sensitive marker than chromogranin A alone for diagnosing neuroendocrine tumours. This is not surprising, since both chromogranins are widely distributed in neuroendocrine cells.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arnberg
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oberg
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hellman
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lundqvist
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wernstedt
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wilander
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D007106:Immune Sera; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C506153:chromogranin A, rat