Ghrelin expression in islet cell tumors: augmented expression of ghrelin in a case of glucagonoma with multiple endocrine neoplasm type I.

Abstract

Ghrelin is a 28-amino acid peptide that regulates GH release together with GHRH and somatostatin. The expression of ghrelin has been detected in the stomach, small intestine, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, kidney, placenta, and testis. Recently it was reported that ghrelin is present in pancreatic alpha-cells and that it stimulates insulin secretion. In this study, we examined the ghrelin expression in two cases of glucagonoma and two cases of insulinoma by Northern blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Ghrelin expression was identified in a case of glucagonoma associated with multiple endocrine neoplasm type I both by Northern blot analysis using total RNA and by immunohistochemistry, although the plasma ghrelin level was not elevated. This is the first case of tumor in which ghrelin gene expression was detected by Northern blot analysis using total RNA.

• Authors: Hiroshi Iwakura, Kiminori Hosoda, Ryuichiro Doi, Izumi Komoto, Haruo Nishimura, Choel Son, Junji Fujikura, Tsutomu Tomita, Kazuhiko Takaya, Yoshihiro Ogawa, Tatsuya Hayashi, Gen Inoue, Takashi Akamizu, Hiroshi Hosoda, Masayasu Kojima, Kenji Kangawa, Masayuki Imamura, Kazuwa Nakao
• Journal: The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism (J Clin Endocrinol Metab) Vol. 87 Issue 11 Pg. 4885-8 (Nov 2002) ISSN: 0021-972X [Print] United States
• PMID: 12414844 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Ghrelin
• Peptide Hormones
• RNA

Topics

• Adenoma, Islet Cell (metabolism)
• Adult
• Blotting, Northern
• Female
• Gene Expression
• Ghrelin
• Glucagonoma (chemistry, metabolism)
• Glucose Tolerance Test
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (genetics)
• Pancreatic Neoplasms (chemistry, metabolism)
• Peptide Hormones (blood, genetics)
• RNA (analysis)
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction