title: Expression of synaptic vesicle protein 2 (SV2) in neuroendocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas.
abstract: Identification of neuroendocrine differentiation in tumours has important implications for prognosis and therapy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate monoclonal antibodies against synaptic vesicle protein 2 (SV2) as histopathological markers for neuroendocrine differentiation in tumours of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. Paraffin blocks from 211 gastrointestinal tumours were examined by immunocytochemistry, using a monoclonal antibody against SV2. Virtually all endocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract (11/11 gastric, 53/53 ileal, 16/21 appendiceal, and 22/22 rectal) and pancreas (24/24) were positively labelled. SV2 labelling was also demonstrated in gastrointestinal pacemaker cell tumours (8/8), while adenocarcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas were negative, with the exception of occasional adenocarcinomas demonstrating weak SV2 labelling (stomach 1/22, rectum 1/29, and pancreas 0/21). Western blotting of tumour biopsies confirmed expression of SV2 in endocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. No relationship was observed between SV2 expression in tumours and hormone production or malignant potential. In conclusion, SV2 is expressed in neuroendocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas, but not in non-endocrine tumours. The SV2 monoclonal antibody can therefore be used as a general marker for neuroendocrine differentiation in gastrointestinal and pancreatic tumours.
authors.affiliation: Lundberg Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Pathology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, S-413 45 Göteborg, Sweden. anne-marie.jakobsen@llcr.med.gu.se
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahlman
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wängberg
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kölby
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nilsson
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004064:Digestive System / Q000378:metabolism; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins