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Vol 59, No 2 (2021)
Original paper
Submitted: 2020-10-26
Accepted: 2021-03-23
Published online: 2021-04-09
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Immunohistochemical analysis of ghrelin expression in various types of adrenal tumors

Hanna Komarowska1, Agnieszka Malinska2, Zhanat Komekbai3, Barbara Brominska1, Katarzyna Bednarek-Rajewska4, Marek Ruchala1, Marcin Rucinski2
DOI: 10.5603/FHC.a2021.0009
·
Pubmed: 33834452
·
Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2021;59(2):86-94.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
  2. Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
  3. West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University, Aktobe, Kazakhstan
  4. Department of Clinical Pathology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

open access

Vol 59, No 2 (2021)
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Submitted: 2020-10-26
Accepted: 2021-03-23
Published online: 2021-04-09

Abstract

Introduction. Ghrelin, originally isolated from the endocrine cells of the gastric mucosa, is also expressed in many peripheral tissues, including normal adrenals and adrenocortical tumors. It was shown that ghrelin stimulates proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of adrenocortical cells. In the current study, we compared ghrelin expression at the protein level in various adrenal tumors. We analyzed whether immunoreactive ghrelin could be considered as a potential marker for different types of adrenal tumors.

Material and methods. Study was carried out on 200 adrenal specimens arranged on microscope slide in tissue microarray format. We performed standardized immunohistochemical reactions with semiquantitative reaction intensity measurements.

Results. At the protein level, the expression of ghrelin was significantly reduced in adrenocortical adenocarcinoma in relation to the control group and pheochromocytoma as well as cancer-adjacent normal adrenal tissue. In contrast, a relatively high ghrelin expression was found in pheochromocytoma compared to all analyzed groups, with the exception of cancer-adjacent normal adrenal tissue.

Conclusions. The ghrelin expression profile at the protein level may be associated with the type of adrenal tumor. In this context, our results suggest that adrenal immunoreactive ghrelin may be considered as a sensitive and specific marker for differentiating adrenocortical carcinoma from adrenocortical adenoma and pheochromocytoma.

Abstract

Introduction. Ghrelin, originally isolated from the endocrine cells of the gastric mucosa, is also expressed in many peripheral tissues, including normal adrenals and adrenocortical tumors. It was shown that ghrelin stimulates proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of adrenocortical cells. In the current study, we compared ghrelin expression at the protein level in various adrenal tumors. We analyzed whether immunoreactive ghrelin could be considered as a potential marker for different types of adrenal tumors.

Material and methods. Study was carried out on 200 adrenal specimens arranged on microscope slide in tissue microarray format. We performed standardized immunohistochemical reactions with semiquantitative reaction intensity measurements.

Results. At the protein level, the expression of ghrelin was significantly reduced in adrenocortical adenocarcinoma in relation to the control group and pheochromocytoma as well as cancer-adjacent normal adrenal tissue. In contrast, a relatively high ghrelin expression was found in pheochromocytoma compared to all analyzed groups, with the exception of cancer-adjacent normal adrenal tissue.

Conclusions. The ghrelin expression profile at the protein level may be associated with the type of adrenal tumor. In this context, our results suggest that adrenal immunoreactive ghrelin may be considered as a sensitive and specific marker for differentiating adrenocortical carcinoma from adrenocortical adenoma and pheochromocytoma.

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Keywords

ghrelin; immunohistochemistry; adrenal tumors; adrenal cortex; adrenal medulla

About this article
Title

Immunohistochemical analysis of ghrelin expression in various types of adrenal tumors

Journal

Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica

Issue

Vol 59, No 2 (2021)

Article type

Original paper

Pages

86-94

Published online

2021-04-09

Page views

1477

Article views/downloads

796

DOI

10.5603/FHC.a2021.0009

Pubmed

33834452

Bibliographic record

Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2021;59(2):86-94.

Keywords

ghrelin
immunohistochemistry
adrenal tumors
adrenal cortex
adrenal medulla

Authors

Hanna Komarowska
Agnieszka Malinska
Zhanat Komekbai
Barbara Brominska
Katarzyna Bednarek-Rajewska
Marek Ruchala
Marcin Rucinski

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