Glucagon and glucagon-like immunoreactive cells in mid- and hindgut carcinoids |
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Authors: | M el-Salhy E Wilander M Lundqvist G Nilsson A J Moody K Imagawa L Grimelius |
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Institution: | Department of Pathology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. |
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Abstract: | The occurrence of glucagon/glucagon-like immunoreactivity in 31 small intestinal, 34 rectal and 18 appendiceal carcinoids were investigated immunocytochemically using, sequence specific antisera. Glucagon/GLI immunoreactive cells were found in five small-intestinal and five rectal carcinoids, but none were observed in any of the appendiceal carcinoids examined. Glucagon/GLI immunoreactive cells constituted a minor cell population, except in one rectal carcinoid, where most of the tumour cells were of this type. Glucagon/GLI immunoreactive cells were detected with only some sequence-specific antisera, and not with antisera directed against the rest of the glucagon/glicentin molecule. This might indicate that these cells contain a molecule which shares some antigenic binding sites with glucagon/glicentin rather than genuine glucagon/glicentin. It is concluded that this finding contributes to explain why hindgut carcinoids rarely give rise to symptoms related to neuro-endocrine product(s). |
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