Glucagon and glucagon-like immunoreactive cells in mid- and hindgut carcinoids.
The occurrence of glucagon/glucagon-like immunoreactivity in 31 small intestinal, 34 rectal and 18 appendiceal carcinoids were investigated immunocytochemically using, sequence specific antisera. Glucagon/GLI immunoreactive cells were found in five small-intestinal and five rectal carcinoids, but none were observed in any of the appendiceal carcinoids examined. Glucagon/GLI immunoreactive cells constituted a minor cell population, except in one rectal carcinoid, where most of the tumour cells were of this type. Glucagon/GLI immunoreactive cells were detected with only some sequence-specific antisera, and not with antisera directed against the rest of the glucagon/glicentin molecule. This might indicate that these cells contain a molecule which shares some antigenic binding sites with glucagon/glicentin rather than genuine glucagon/glicentin. It is concluded that this finding contributes to explain why hindgut carcinoids rarely give rise to symptoms related to neuro-endocrine product(s).
el-Salhy
M
M
Department of Pathology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Wilander
E
E
Lundqvist
M
M
Nilsson
G
G
Moody
A J
AJ
Imagawa
K
K
Grimelius
L
L
D001063:Appendiceal Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005934:Glucagon / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*; D052336:Proglucagon; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*
D011498:Protein Precursors; D052336:Proglucagon; D005934:Glucagon