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Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript in Neuroendocrine Tumors

Landerholm, Kalle ; Falkmer, Sture ; Jarhult, Johannes ; Sundler, Frank LU and Wierup, Nils LU (2011) In Neuroendocrinology 94(3). p.228-236
Abstract
Background/Aims: Cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is an anorexigenic regulatory peptide highly expressed in the brain's appetite control centers, but also in peripheral neurons and in endocrine cells in the adrenal medulla, thyroid, pancreatic islets, and in the gastrointestinal tract. Plasma levels of CART were recently shown to be elevated in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), but the cellular sources of CART in NETs have remained unknown. The aim of the study was to establish whether CART is expressed in various types of NETs and, if so, to examine the frequency, distribution and phenotype of CART-expressing cells. Methods: Tumor specimens from 133 NETs originating in the stomach, ileum, rectum, pancreas and... (More)
Background/Aims: Cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is an anorexigenic regulatory peptide highly expressed in the brain's appetite control centers, but also in peripheral neurons and in endocrine cells in the adrenal medulla, thyroid, pancreatic islets, and in the gastrointestinal tract. Plasma levels of CART were recently shown to be elevated in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), but the cellular sources of CART in NETs have remained unknown. The aim of the study was to establish whether CART is expressed in various types of NETs and, if so, to examine the frequency, distribution and phenotype of CART-expressing cells. Methods: Tumor specimens from 133 NETs originating in the stomach, ileum, rectum, pancreas and thyroid were examined with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The expression of CART was quantified and the CART-expressing cells were phenotyped by double staining for established markers and hormones. Results: CART-expressing tumor cells were found in the majority of the examined NETs. The expression pattern of CART was highly heterogeneous not only between tumors, but also within individual tumors. In 14% of the NETs, CART was found in a major population of the tumor cells. Conclusion: CART is produced in the majority of NETs, regardless of tumor origin. This likely explains the elevated levels of circulating CART in certain NETs patients, as recently described. CART could therefore prove to be a useful tool in the diagnostics of NETs not only in blood samples, but also in histopathological specimens. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript, Neuroendocrine tumors, Endocrine pancreatic tumors, Gastrointestinal tract, Medullary thyroid, carcinomas, Regulatory peptides
in
Neuroendocrinology
volume
94
issue
3
pages
228 - 236
publisher
Karger
external identifiers
  • wos:000296891500006
  • scopus:81355138650
  • pmid:21832817
ISSN
0028-3835
DOI
10.1159/000329044
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
893673a6-511a-4d70-8632-43c7e67e7141 (old id 2252616)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:56:24
date last changed
2022-01-26 03:51:41
@article{893673a6-511a-4d70-8632-43c7e67e7141,
  abstract     = {{Background/Aims: Cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is an anorexigenic regulatory peptide highly expressed in the brain's appetite control centers, but also in peripheral neurons and in endocrine cells in the adrenal medulla, thyroid, pancreatic islets, and in the gastrointestinal tract. Plasma levels of CART were recently shown to be elevated in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), but the cellular sources of CART in NETs have remained unknown. The aim of the study was to establish whether CART is expressed in various types of NETs and, if so, to examine the frequency, distribution and phenotype of CART-expressing cells. Methods: Tumor specimens from 133 NETs originating in the stomach, ileum, rectum, pancreas and thyroid were examined with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The expression of CART was quantified and the CART-expressing cells were phenotyped by double staining for established markers and hormones. Results: CART-expressing tumor cells were found in the majority of the examined NETs. The expression pattern of CART was highly heterogeneous not only between tumors, but also within individual tumors. In 14% of the NETs, CART was found in a major population of the tumor cells. Conclusion: CART is produced in the majority of NETs, regardless of tumor origin. This likely explains the elevated levels of circulating CART in certain NETs patients, as recently described. CART could therefore prove to be a useful tool in the diagnostics of NETs not only in blood samples, but also in histopathological specimens. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel}},
  author       = {{Landerholm, Kalle and Falkmer, Sture and Jarhult, Johannes and Sundler, Frank and Wierup, Nils}},
  issn         = {{0028-3835}},
  keywords     = {{Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript; Neuroendocrine tumors; Endocrine pancreatic tumors; Gastrointestinal tract; Medullary thyroid; carcinomas; Regulatory peptides}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{228--236}},
  publisher    = {{Karger}},
  series       = {{Neuroendocrinology}},
  title        = {{Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript in Neuroendocrine Tumors}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2254785/2540344.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1159/000329044}},
  volume       = {{94}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}