Ghrelin immunoreactive cells in gastric endocrine tumors and their relation to plasma ghrelin concentration.

Abstract

GOALS:

Our aim was to elucidate the incidence and distribution pattern of ghrelin-immunoreactive (IR) cells in various types of human gastric endocrine tumors, and their surrounding mucosa, and relate the findings to total ghrelin concentrations in plasma.

BACKGROUND:

It has been demonstrated previously, that ghrelin-IR cells are present not only in normal human gastric oxyntic mucosa, but also in all types of enterochromaffinlike (ECL) cell carcinoids (ECL-CCs), and in mucosal regions affected by ECL cell hyperplasia.

STUDY:

Forty-eight gastric endocrine tumors were included in the study: 32 type I ECL-CCs, 3 type II, 9 type III, 1 non-ECL-CC, and 3 poorly differentiated endocrine carcinomas. The tumors were analyzed immunohistochemically with antibodies raised versus chromogranin A, synaptophysin, serotonin, somatostatin, vesicular monoamine transporter 2 and ghrelin. Total ghrelin in plasma was measured in 20 patients, using a commercial radioimmunoassay kit.

RESULTS:

Ghrelin-IR cells were found in all types I and II ECL-CCs but in only a few cases of the other tumors. Ghrelin-IR cells were also found among the hyperplastic endocrine cells in the mucosa surrounding types I and II, where they showed diffuse, linear, nodular and adenomatoid hyperplasia patterns. In type III ECL-CCs and poorly differentiated endocrine carcinomas, only diffuse and linear ghrelin-IR cell hyperplasia was present in the oxyntic mucosa in about half of the cases, whereas the mucosa of the non-ECL-CC did not show this feature.

CONCLUSIONS:

Despite the frequent occurrence of ghrelin-IR cells in both the neoplastic parenchyma and the oxyntic mucosa, plasma total ghrelin concentrations remained within the reference range and can therefore not be used as a clinical marker to identify ghrelin expressing ECL-CCs or ghrelin cell hyperplasia.

• Authors: Apostolos V Tsolakis, Mats Stridsberg, Lars Grimelius, Guida M Portela-Gomes, Sture E Falkmer, Helge L Waldum, Eva T Janson
• Journal: Journal of clinical gastroenterology (J Clin Gastroenterol) Vol. 42 Issue 4 Pg. 381-8 (Apr 2008) ISSN: 0192-0790 [Print] United States
• PMID: 18277901 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Neoplasm
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Ghrelin

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antibodies, Neoplasm (immunology)
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Carcinoid Tumor (blood, immunology, pathology)
• Female
• Gastric Mucosa (metabolism, pathology)
• Ghrelin (blood, immunology)
• Humans
• Hyperplasia
• Immunohistochemistry
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prognosis
• Radioimmunoassay
• Severity of Illness Index
• Stomach Neoplasms (blood, immunology, pathology)