[Preliminary study of neuroendocrine differentiation and its mechanism in ovarian epithelial tumors].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate neuroendocrine differentiation and its mechanism in ovarian epithelial tumors.


METHODS
Neuroendocrine (NE) cells were identified by immunohistochemical staining for chromogranin A and synaptophysin in 79 cases of ovarian epithelial tumor and 22 cases of normal ovary. Double-labeling technique was used for simultaneous detection of CgA and epithelial membrane antigean (EMA), and the staining intensity was quantitatively evaluated using an image analysis system.


RESULTS
The positive staining rate for CgA and SYN in ovarian epithelial tumors was 59.4% and 65.36%, respectively, which was higher than that in normal ovary (P=0.000), in which numerous NE cells were found. Both the number and staining intensity of NE cells in ovarian epithelial tumor were increased as compared with normal ovary. Cells co-expressing CgA and EMA were detected in the ovarian epithelial tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of NE cells in ovarian epithelial tumor suggests heterogeneity of the tumors, and the occurrence of "multidirectional differentiation cells" within the these tumors indicates that NE cells might derive from malignant cells with multidirectional differentiation capacity.
School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmacy College, Guangzhou 510224, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital, China. jlyby@sina.com
Li-Yan
LY
Jiang
Zi-Neng
ZN
Wang
Xin
X
Luo
Jian-ping
JP
Xu
Xing-mei
XM
Xie
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D055099:Neuroendocrine Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult