title: Cytoplasmic Clusterin expression correlates with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor size and pathological stage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cytoplasmic clusterin (Clusterin), a ubiquitous multifunctional secretory sulfated glycoprotein, plays a role in apoptosis and is reportedly overexpressed in a variety of tumors. The role of Clusterin in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) has not been investigated. In this study, Clusterin expression was evaluated in a subset of PNETs, and the results were correlated with the clinical-pathological features of the tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine surgical cases were used to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of Clusterin in PNETs. Using the avidin-biotin complex method, tissue sections from each case were stained with a rabbit anticlusterin antibody (Abcam, Cambridge, Mass). The immunohistochemical reactions were qualitatively and semiquantitatively evaluated by 2 pathologists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strong Clusterin reactivity was identified in 36 (61%) of 59 PNETs. In 23 (39%) of 59 cases, the Clusterin score was 3 or less. Clusterin expression scores significantly associated with tumor size (P = 0.03) and with tumor stage (P = 0.02). The immunohistochemical score index did not correlate with tumor grade (P = 0.15).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report the expression of Clusterin in PNETs. The correlation of Clusterin with tumor size and stage suggests involvement of this molecule in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor progression. Clusterin may represent a new target of therapy for PNETs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Moffitt Cancer Center and University of South Florida, College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Evita B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Henderson-Jackson
authors.forename: Aejaz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nasir
authors.forename: Dung-Tsa
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Pushpa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nandyala
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Djeu
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strosberg
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kvols
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coppola
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D051152:Clusterin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D051152:Clusterin