title: Medullary thyroid carcinomas express chromogranin A and a novel neuroendocrine protein recognized by monoclonal antibody HISL-19.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A number of endocrine peptides and proteins are expressed by medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). The expression of two newly appreciated neuroendocrine tumor markers, chromogranin A (CgA) and the endocrine antigen defined by monoclonal antibody HISL-19, was determined in 14 MTCs by immunohistology to evaluate the clinical utility of these markers in the diagnosis of MTC. Papillary, follicular, and undifferentiated thyroid tumors were also evaluated along with an MTC cell line. The same tissues were evaluated with antibodies to human calcitonin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All human calcitonin antibodies were found to react with the MTCs. In addition, all MTCs were reactive for CgA and the antigen detected by antibody HISL-19. CgA was generally present in the human calcitonin-containing cells, whereas the HISL-19 antigen had a more distinctive distribution. The other thyroid tumors failed to show reactivity with any of the three antibodies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that, in addition to human calcitonin, MTCs commonly express CgA and the antigen defined by antibody HISL-19. Our observations thus add to the repertoire of endocrine substances produced by MTC. These studies also demonstrate the clinical value of immunohistologic procedures for two novel antigens in distinguishing MTCs from other thyroid tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Clinical Endocrinology, University of Vienna Medical School.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Deftos
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Woloszczuk
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krisch
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horvat
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Neuhold
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reiner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srikanta
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krisch
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000032:analysis; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000032:analysis; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000032:analysis* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000032:analysis; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D002116:Calcitonin