Vol 64, No 4 (2013)
Original paper
Published online: 2013-09-03

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Immunohistochemical detection of follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) in neuroendocrine tumours

Marek Pawlikowski, Katarzyna Winczyk, Henryk Stępień
DOI: 10.5603/EP.2013.0004
Endokrynol Pol 2013;64(4):268-271.

Abstract

Introduction: Follicle stimulating hormone receptors (FSHR) are well known to be expressed in gonads and in gonadal tumours. Recently,their incidence has also been revealed in endocrine non-gonadal tumours such as adrenal and pituitary tumours. Moreover, FSHR immunostaininghas also been reported in endothelium of intra- and peritumoral blood vessels of a large series of cancers. The presentpaper reports on the incidence of FSHR in both tumoral cells and some intratumoral blood vessels of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs).

Material and methods: Sixteen NETs samples were taken from 14 patients. The tumour samples were immunostained using the antibodyraised against 1-190 amino acid sequence from the human FSH-R and anti-Ki67 antibody.

Results: In all the samples examined, the majority of tumoral cells were immunostained with anti-FSHR antibody. Positive immunostainingconcerned also the intratumoral blood vessels endothelia in a half of the examined samples. Immunopositive blood vessels were foundmore often in tumours with higher Ki-67 index.

Conclusion: FSHR expressed in NETs, if they are functional, may mediate the signals which can enhance further tumour growth.