Immunocytochemical demonstration of IGF-II immunoreactivity in human phaeochromocytoma and extra-adrenal abdominal paraganglioma.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II immunoreactivity was demonstrated in 14 adrenal glands, six retroperitoneal paraganglia, 18 phaeochromocytomas, and six extra-adrenal abdominal paragangliomas through the use of a monoclonal antibody against rat IGF-II which cross-reacts with human IGF-II. A subpopulation of parenchymal cells in normal adrenal medulla and in retroperitoneal paraganglia was positively immunolabelled. Eighteen cases with phaeochromocytoma including two malignant and four multiple endocrine neoplasias all contained numerous IGF-II-immunoreactive tumour cells. All six extra-adrenal abdominal paragangliomas contained numerous immunoreactive tumour cells. Almost all the other normal human adult tissues examined failed to immunolabel. These results indicate that IGF-II-like immunoreactivity is widely expressed in normal and neoplastic human paraganglionic tissues, although its biological significance in these tissues has not been determined.