title: Nestin as a marker in the classification of adrenocortical tumors.
abstract: Expression of the intermediate filament, nestin, was long believed to be restricted to neuroectodermal stem cells. However, nestin expression has recently been detected in several tumors. Since adrenocortical carcinoma, a tumor entity still very difficult to classify, may gain the ability to aberrantly express neuroectodermal proteins including chromogranin A and synaptophysin, we asked the question whether nestin might also be detected in adrenocortical carcinomas, and if so, whether it might serve as a tool for clinical pathology. Therefore, we studied the expression of nestin in normal adrenal glands, adrenocortical adenomas, and adrenocortical cancers using specific immunohistochemistry and semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Immunostaining was nestin-positive in 1 out of 9 normal adrenal glands (11%), 2 out of 20 adrenocortical adenomas (10%), and 13 out of 16 adrenocortical carcinomas (81%). Expression of nestin mRNA could be detected in all microdissected tissues, independently of their grade of dedifferentiation. We conclude that our findings provide further evidence that nestin, as a marker, is not restricted to neuronal stem cells and nestin expression is worth to be studied in adrenocortical tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lachenmayer
authors.forename: U D
authors.initials: UD
authors.lastname: Lichtenauer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schott
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Malendowicz
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Goretzki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cupisti
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Scherbaum
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bornstein
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Willenberg
mesh_terms: D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D018246:Adrenocortical Adenoma / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018268:Adrenocortical Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D064231:Nestin
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C577484:NES protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin