N. Kimura et al., MULTIPLE-HORMONE GENE-EXPRESSION IN GANGLIONEUROBLASTOMA WITH WATERY DIARRHEA, HYPOKALEMIA, AND ACHLORHYDRIA SYNDROME, Cancer, 71(9), 1993, pp. 2841-2846
Background. It has been reported that vasoactive intestinal peptide (V
IP)-producing tumors accompanied by watery diarrhea, hypokalemia, and
achlorhydria (WDHA) syndrome often produce multiple hormones biochemic
ally and immunohistochemically. Methods. The authors examined the dist
ribution of several peptides-VIP, peptide histidine methionine (PHM),
neuropeptide Y (NPY), methionine-enkephalin (M-EK), somatostatin (SS),
substance-P (Sub-P), corticotropin-releasing hormone, and tyrosine hy
droxylase-with immunohistochemical studies and an in situ hybridizatio
n method in three ganglioneuroblastomas with WDHA syndrome. All patien
ts had an extremely elevated plasma level of VIP. Results. Peptides ex
amined immunohistochemically in the tumor were all detectable in gangl
ionic cells and some neurites. The coexistence of those peptides was o
bserved with serial section staining. The presence of messenger RNA of
VIP/PHM-27, NPY, and SS was detectable in the cytoplasm of the tumor
cells with the in situ hybridization. Conclusions. It was shown that m
ultiple genes of peptides are expressed simultaneously and translated
to proteins in those tumors.