Expression profiles of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide receptor and LHCGR in sporadic adrenocortical tumors

Glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide receptor (GIPR) and LHCGR are G-protein-coupled receptors with a wide tissue expression pattern. Aberrant expression of these receptors has rarely been demonstrated in adult sporadic adrenocortical tumors with a lack of data on pediatric tumors. We quantified the GIPR and LHCGR expression in a large cohort of 55 patients (25 children and 30 adults) with functioning and non-functioning sporadic adrenocortical tumors. Thirty-eight tumors were classified as adenomas whereas 17 were carcinomas. GIPR and LHCGR expression were analyzed by real-time PCR and normal human pancreatic and testicular tissue samples were used as positive controls. Mean expression values were determined by fold increase in comparison with a normal adrenal pool. GIPR mRNA levels were significantly higher in adrenocortical carcinomas than in adenomas from both pediatric and adult groups. LHCGR expression was similar in both carcinomas and adenomas from the pediatric group but significantly lower in carcinomas than in adenomas from the adult group (median 0.06 and 2.3 respectively, P<0.001). GIPR was detected by immunohistochemistry in both pediatric and adult tumors. Staining and real-time PCR results correlated positively only when GIPR mRNA levels were increased at least two-fold in comparison with normal adrenal expression levels. In conclusion, GIPR overexpression was observed in pediatric and adult adrenocortical tumors and very low levels of LHCGR expression were found in all adult adrenocortical carcinomas.