Chromogranin A in human neuroendocrine tumors: an immunohistochemical study with region-specific antibodies.
Antibodies to six specific regions of the chromogranin A (CgA) molecule were used to study their immunoreactivity in human neuroendocrine (NE) tumors. Tissue specimens from endocrine pancreatic tumors (n = 14), duodenal carcinoids (n = 2), bronchial carcinoids (n = 5), ileal carcinoids (n = 5) appendix carcinoids (n = 2), medullary thyroid carcinomas (n = 6), parathyroid adenomas (n = 2), and pheochromocytomas (n = 8) were analyzed. The results showed that the NE tumor types expressed varying numbers of CgA fragments. A variation in frequency of the expression of immunoreactive cells was sometimes seen also within the same tumor type. The midportion fragment CgA 176-195 (chromacin) was the only fragment expressed in all tumors. Benign and malignant tumors expressed different patterns, being especially true of insulinomas and pheochromocytomas. These findings suggest that region-specific antibodies to CgA fragments can be used as a diagnostic tool for the characterization of NE tumors.
Portel-Gomes
G M
GM
Department of Genetics, Uppsala University, Sweden.
Grimelius
L
L
Johansson
H
H
Wilander
E
E
Stridsberg
M
M
D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004701:Endocrine Gland Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007340:Insulinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins