A comparison of NSP-reticulons with conventional neuroendocrine markers in immunophenotyping of lung cancers.
Neuroendocrine-specific protein (NSP)-reticulons are endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein complexes, which have been identified as markers for neuroendocrine differentiation. In this study, the expression of two members of the family of NSP-reticulons, NSP-A and NSP-C, have been investigated in different types of lung cancer and compared with the expression patterns of five conventional neuroendocrine markers, the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), synaptophysin, chromogranin A, Leu-7, and neurofilament proteins. NSP-A and NSP-C antibodies were reactive with most carcinoid tumour and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cases, while atypical carcinoid tumours showed a variable expression. In the total group of neuroendocrine tumours, a high concordance of expression was found between NSP-A and NSP-C, while their expression correlated well with NCAM and synaptophysin positivity. Chromogranin A, Leu-7, and neurofilament proteins were shown to be expressed to a limited extent in these neuroendocrine tumours. In a selected group of non-SCLCs known to exhibit neuroendocrine features, NSP-A expression was detected at much higher frequency than NSP-C. In virtually all NSP-A positive cases, this expression was associated with one or more of the other neuroendocrine markers. NSP-A expression showed a stronger correlation with conventional neuroendocrine markers than NCAM. In detecting neuroendocrine differentiation in non-SCLC, NSP-A is more sensitive than synaptophysin, chromogranin A, Leu-7, and neurofilament proteins. It is concluded that NSP-reticulons are valuable markers in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine differentiation in non-SCLC and should be used in conjunction with NCAM.
Senden
N H
NH
Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, University Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Timmer
E D
ED
de Bruïne
A
A
Wagenaar
S S
SS
Van de Velde
H J
HJ
Roebroek
A J
AJ
Van de Ven
W J
WJ
Broers
J L
JL
Ramaekers
F C
FC
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C081781:RTN1 protein, human