neuropeptide-y and Carcinoma--Small-Cell

The mammalian achaete-scute homologue, MASH-1, is crucial for early development of the sympathetic nervous system and is transiently expressed in sympathetic neuroblasts during embryogenesis. Here we report that the human homologue (HASH-1) was expressed in all analyzed cell lines (6/6) derived from the sympathetic nervous system tumor neuroblastoma. The majority of small-cell lung carcinoma (4/5) cell lines tested expressed HASH-1, while other nonneuronal/non-neuroendocrine cell lines were negative. Induced differentiation of neuroblastoma cells resulted in HASH-1 downregulation. This occurred concomitant with induction of neurite outgrowth and expression of the neuronal marker genes GAP-43 and neuropeptide Y. Constitutive expression of exogenous HASH-1 did not alter the capacity of the neuroblastoma cells to differentiate in response to differentiation-inducing agents. It is concluded that moderate HASH-1 expression does not compromise the capacity of these cells to differentiate.

Topics: Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors; Blotting, Northern; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Carrier Proteins; Cell Differentiation; Cell Size; DNA-Binding Proteins; Down-Regulation; GAP-43 Protein; Growth Substances; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Membrane Proteins; Neurites; Neuroblastoma; Neurons; Neuropeptide Y; Receptor, trkA; RNA, Messenger; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Transcription Factors; Transfection; Tretinoin; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Twenty-two neuroendocrine tumours of the larynx were investigated using a panel of immunocytochemical markers. Three were small cell carcinomas, eight were large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas and 11 were paragangliomas. Twenty were positive for protein gene product 9.5, 19 for neuron-specific enolase, 15 for chromogranin A, nine for bombesin, eight for substance P, eight for neuropeptide Y, eight for metenkephalin, seven for somatostatin, five for calcitonin, eight for calcitonin gene-related peptide and one for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. Bombesin immunoreactivity was largely restricted to the small cell carcinomas and large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas and neuropeptide Y, metenkephalin and substance P to the paragangliomas. This comprehensive immunocytochemical analysis of neuroendocrine tumours of the larynx demonstrates that these tumours represent special entities but have similar patterns of immunostaining to those of neuroendocrine tumours in other sites.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bombesin; Calcitonin; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Chromogranin A; Chromogranins; Enkephalin, Methionine; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Laryngeal Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Neuropeptide Y; Neuropeptides; Neurosecretory Systems; Paraganglioma; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase; Somatostatin; Substance P