Expression of glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit by endocrine cells of the oxyntic mucosa is associated with hypergastrinemia

Previous studies have shown that hyperplastic endocrine cells of the oxyntic mucosa in patients with atrophic gastritis may express immunoreactivity for the alpha-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (alpha-HCG, common to all glycoprotein hormones). Since this endocrine proliferation is regarded as dependent on the trophic effect of the concomitant hypergastrinemia, the relation between immunohistochemical expression of alpha-HCG by oxyntic endocrine cells and serum levels of gastrin were investigated. The study was performed on endoscopic gastric biopsies of the oxyntic mucosa from 49 patients subdivided into the following groups: A) with histologically normal mucosa and normogastrinemia (22 cases), B) with atrophic gastritis and normogastrinemia (12 cases), C) with normal mucosa and hypergastrinemia (Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, retained antrum) (7 cases) and D) with atrophic gastritis and hypergastrinemia (with or without pernicious anemia) (8 cases). The alpha-HCG immunoreactive cells were found in all hypergastrinemic patients (groups C and D), regardless of the concomitant pathological condition of the mucosa. These cells accounted for 7.8% to 44.7% of the number of Grimelius argyrophil cells in consecutive serial sections. In contrast, alpha-HCG-containing cells were exceptional or absent in most normogastrinemic patients. Their number was sizable in only two cases of group A and three cases of group B, where it ranged from 2.5% to 14.8% of the number of argyrophil cells. It was concluded that expression of alpha-HCG is another feature of oxyntic endocrine cells associated with hypergastrinemia in addition to those previously recognized such as development of hyperplasia and/or carcinoid tumors.