acid-phosphatase and Adenoma--Islet-Cell

Although prostate-specific acid phosphatase (PASP) has been recognized as a specific marker of tissue of prostatic origin, several investigators have pointed out that some of the carcinoid tumours and islet cell tumours of the pancreas reacted immunohistochemically to PSAP. We investigated 50 cases immunohistochemically comprising 44 carcinoids of the G-I tract, 3 of the bronchus, 1 each of the ovary, kidney and middle ear. PSAP positive cases were, 30 in G-I tract, one each in ovary and kidney. Eighty percent of tumours of hindgut origin were positive. Apart from the immunohistochemical study, the content of PSAP in preoperative serum and tumour tissue was estimated in a case with a rectal carcinoid. Extremely elevated PSAP was confirmed in both the serum and tumour tissue. Neuroendocrine tumours such as pheochromocytoma, medullary thyroid carcinoma, and islet cell carcinoma were investigated as controls. No cells immunoreactive to PSAP were observed in these control cases. Prostate specific antigen was definitely negative in carcinoids. We would emphasize that PSAP may be an excellent marker of carcinoids especially when derived from hindgut.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adenoma, Islet Cell; Carcinoid Tumor; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Male; Pheochromocytoma; Prostate; Radioimmunoassay; Rectal Neoplasms; Thyroid Neoplasms

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adenoma, Islet Cell; Carcinoid Tumor; Clinical Enzyme Tests; Humans; Male; Prostatic Neoplasms

A 57-year-old man with generalized, subcutaneous fat necrosis was found at autopsy to have islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas. The histologic diagnosis of islet cell carcinoma was confirmed by the finding by electron microscopy of characteristic intracytoplasmic granules within pancreatic neoplastic cells. Lipase levels were elevated in serum as well as in tissues in areas of subcutaneous fat necrosis. Enzyme histochemical stains for alkaline and acid phosphatase, leucine, aminopeptidase, succinic dehydrogenase, and indoxyl and nonspecific esterase were positive in the areas of subcutaneous fat necrosis. This is the first report of the association of islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas with generalized subcutaneous fat necrosis.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adenoma, Islet Cell; Alkaline Phosphatase; Fat Necrosis; Humans; Leucyl Aminopeptidase; Lipase; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Skin; Succinate Dehydrogenase

The immunologic specificity of human prostatic acidphosphatase has been established by several previous investigations as well as in this study. An apparent exception to this specificity was observed--a case of pancreatic islet cell carcinoma metastasized to the liver produced acid phosphatase that was immunologically indistinguishable from the prostatic acid phosphatase. In this case, the possibility of prostatic involvement was convincingly ruled out by clinical follow-ups and by postmortem pathologic studies. Highly purified prostatic acid phosphatase and this tumor acid phosphatase exhibited very similar Km values and identical molecular weights. Immunochemical analysis of the two enzymes using antiprostatic acid phosphatase sera showed that enzymes are antigenically identical. The implications of our observation are discussed in relation to clinical application of immunoassays for prostatic phosphatase in the future and to the molecular basis of human acid phosphatase polymorphism.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adenoma, Islet Cell; Adult; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Neoplasm Metastasis; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Prostate

Recent studies from our laboratory are described which deal with endocrine cells (insulinoma, beta-cells of the pancreas, thyroid epithelial cells), pancreatic exocrine cells, and hepatocytes. These emphasize the importance of the hydrolase-rich specialized region of endoplasmic reticulum, known as GERL, in secretory cells. Also reviewed in this paper are the varied molecular transformations which apparently occur in GERL in different cell types, as reported from other laboratories as well as our own. Evidence of the continuity of GERL with rough endoplasmic reticulum is presented. Two hydrolytic enzyme activities in GERL, in addition to acid phosphatase activity, are recorded. Finally, the use of cytochemical staining procedures in the study of microperoxisomes is briefly described.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adenoma, Islet Cell; Animals; Cricetinae; Duodenum; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Epithelial Cells; Fatty Liver; Ganglia, Spinal; Golgi Apparatus; Guinea Pigs; Islets of Langerhans; Liver; Microbodies; Neurons; Organoids; Pancreas; Rabbits; Rats; Thiamine Pyrophosphatase; Thyroid Gland

Electron microscopy, including phosphatase cytochemistry, indicates that the secretory granules of an insulinoma producing proinsulin and insulin are packaged by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and especially by a specialized region of ER which we call GERL because of the spatial relationship of this region to the Golgi apparatus and its apparent role in producing lysosomes. The granules are not derived from the Golgi apparatus. Preliminary evidence suggests this may be true also of pancreatic beta-cells.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adenoma, Islet Cell; Animals; Cricetinae; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Golgi Apparatus; Insulin; Islets of Langerhans; Neoplasm Transplantation; Neoplasms, Experimental; Pancreas; Proinsulin; Thiamine Pyrophosphatase

Topics: 17-Ketosteroids; Acetates; Acid Phosphatase; Adenocarcinoma; Adenoma, Islet Cell; Adult; Aged; Biopsy; Blood Sedimentation; Estrogens; Hematuria; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; Prostatectomy; Prostatic Neoplasms; Radionuclide Imaging; Rectum; Urinary Incontinence

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adenoma, Islet Cell; DNA, Neoplasm; Glucuronidase; Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pancreas; Radioisotopes; Radionuclide Imaging; Ribonucleases; RNA, Neoplasm; Selenium; Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome