IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF NEURON-SPECIFIC ENOLASE IN THE HUMAN HYPOPHYSIS AND PITUITARY-ADENOMAS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 108  (1) , 40-43
Abstract
Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was localized, using the immunoperoxidase technique, in the cytoplasm of the 5 adenohypophyseal hormone-secreting cell types, and in nerve fibers of the pars nervosa of the human pituitary. Crooke''s hyaline material was negative. NSE was found in all pituitary adenoma types; there was no correlation between degree of granularity or differentiation of tumor cells and intensity of NSE immunopositivity. One hypothalamic hamartoma was positive for NSE; a craniopharyngioma and a neurohypophyseal granular cell tumor were not. Neuron-specific enolase was present in peptide hormone-producing endocrine cells outside the pituitary and in their tumors; the majority of other tumors were negative for NSE, although 1 breast carcinoma, 1 ovarian cystadenocarcinoma, and 1 lymphoma were positive for NSE. In control studies, absorption of NSE antisera with growth hormone abolished immunoreactivity; there was no immunologic cross-reaction demonstrable by radioimmunoassay.