Glucagon and glucagon‐like immunoreactive cells in mid‐ and hindgut carcinoids

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The occurrence of glucagon/glucagon‐like immunoreactivity in 31 small intestinal, 34 rectal and 18 appendiceal carcinoids were investigated immunocytochemically using, sequence specific antisera. Glucagon/GLI immunoreactive cells were found in five small‐intestinal and five rectal carcinoids, but none were observed in any of the appendiceal carcinoids examined. Glucagon/GLI immunoreactive cells constituted a minor cell population, except in one rectal carcinoid, where most of the tumour cells were of this type. Glucagon/GLI immunoreactive cells were detected with only some sequence‐specific antisera, and not with antisera directed against the rest of the glucagon/glicentin molecule. This might indicate that these cells contain a molecule which shares some antigenic binding sites with glucagon/glicentin rather than genuine glucagon/glicentin. it is concluded that this finding contributes to explain why hindgut carcinoids rarely give rise to symptoms related to neuro‐endocrine product(s).