title: Chromogranin A in gastric neuroendocrine tumours: an immunohistochemical and biochemical study with region-specific antibodies.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate ECLomas and enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cell hyperplasia in gastric human mucosa regarding the immunohistochemical expression of chromogranin A (CgA) epitopes and to measure the same CgA epitopes in plasma samples. Eight gastric biopsies from ECLomas, seven of type I and one of type III, and biopsies from one patient showing only ECL cell hyperplasia were included in the study. Our results revealed a varying expression of region-specific CgA epitopes in the ECLomas regarding both the frequency of immunoreactive cells and intensity of immunoreactivity. CgA284-301 (pancreastatin) was not revealed in any neoplasm, whereas CgA361-372 (catestatin) was expressed in all ECLomas. However, the number of immunoreactive cells to vesicular monoamino transporter 2 (VMAT 2) or the commercial monoclonal CgA (CgA250-284) antibodies were generally higher. The plasma concentrations of the region-specific CgA radioimmunoassays differed considerably, with highest concentrations of CgA1-17 and CgA116-130 epitopes and the lowest with the CgA17-37, CgA63-76, CgA238-247 and CgA441-424 epitopes. No relationship was found between tissue expression and plasma concentration of CgA epitopes. In conclusion, this study shows that VMAT 2 and the commercial CgA antibodies seem more useful for histopathological diagnosis of ECLomas than the antibodies to the other CgA regions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Gastroenterology, Bellaria Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. andreastartaglia@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tartaglia
authors.forename: Guida M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Portela-Gomes
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oberg
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vezzadini
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Foschini
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stridsberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D019861:Enterochromaffin-like Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D050493:Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053379:Chromogranin A; D000939:Epitopes; C493452:SLC18A2 protein, human; D050493:Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins