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Multiple peptide production and presence of general neuroendocrine markers detected in 12 cases of human phaeochromocytoma and in mammalian adrenal glands

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Summary

In this study, antibodies to a range of markers of neuroendocrine differentiation were evaluated for their use in the histopathological assessment and characterisation of phaeochromocytomas. Routinely processed wax blocks from eleven adrenal phaeochromocytomas (10 benign and 1 malignant) and one benign phaeochromocytoma of the urinary bladder were investigated. In addition to these tumours, normal human, cat and piglet adrenal glands were examined. In the phaeochromocytomas, immunostaining was obtained with 21 of the 25 antisera used. Of the general neuroendocrine markers, neuron-specific enolase was found in all tumours, and chromogranin and protein gene-product 9.5 in most of the cases. A range of regulatory peptide immunoreactivities could be demonstrated, such as enkephalin, neuropeptide tyrosine (NPY), 7B2, galanin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). In addition, two peptides were found which have not been reported previously in these tumours, peptide histidine methionine (PHM) and the cryptic fragment of the precursor encoding VIP. Co-localisation studies revealed that peptides derived from the same precursor or peptide family were found in the same tumour cells (e.g. VIP and PHM, NPY and its C-flanking peptide CPON).

In the normal adrenal medulla, all the peptides previously reported to be present could be demonstrated immunocytochemically. Galanin was present in a subpopulation of cells also immunoreactive for enkephalin. Neuropeptide tyrosine and CPON were demonstrated in another subpopulation. Occasionally, cells were found to contain all four antigen immunoreactivities. Using antisera to enzymes involved in catecholamine synthesis, galanin was found to be present in noradrenalin-containing cells. The study demonstrates the presence of various antigens in chromaffin tissue of the adrenal gland. A range of substances can also be identified immunocytochemically in phaeochromocytoma tissue, using routinely-processed material.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Histochemistry, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Du Cane Road, W12 OHS, London, UK

    Anne E. Bishop, Giorgio Terenghi, Ian M. Varndell, John Aghahowa & Julia M. Polak

  2. Department of Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, Yorkshire, UK

    Ken Pollard

  3. Institute of Pathological Anatomy, Landeskrankenanstalten, Salzburg, Austria

    Gerhard W. Hacker & Josef Thurner

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  1. Gerhard W. Hacker
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  2. Anne E. Bishop
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  3. Giorgio Terenghi
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Hacker, G.W., Bishop, A.E., Terenghi, G. et al. Multiple peptide production and presence of general neuroendocrine markers detected in 12 cases of human phaeochromocytoma and in mammalian adrenal glands. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 412, 399–411 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00750574

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