Expression of Aldolase C in Endocrine Tumors and Ductal Carcinomas of the Pancreas

Yuji Okada, Hiroshi Inagaki¹⁾, Akihiko Iwai²⁾, Jiro Yura, Tadaaki Eimoto¹⁾

First Department of Surgery, Second Department of Pathology¹⁾, School of Medicine, Nagoya City University
Department of Surgery, Chita Kousei Hospital²⁾

We studied immunohistochemically the expression of aldolase C in 12 endocrine tumors (5 functioning and 7 nonfunctioning tumors) and 15 ductal adenocarcinomas of the pancreas as well as normal pancreatic and duodenal tissues, using monospesific antibodies against human aldolase C. The degree of staining was categorized into four grades, 0 to 3. In normal pancreatic tissues, islet cells and nerve fibers were positive for aldolase C. All endocrine tumors demonstrate diffuse immunostaining of aldolase C, with an average grade of 2.8±0.4 (M±SE). The expression of aldolase C in ductal carcinomas was significantly lower than that in endocrine tumors, and the average grade was 0.7±1.0. Aldolase C would be useful in differentiating endocrine tumors from pancreatic exocrine cancers, and it is considered to be an excellent biomarker for islet cells and tumors derived from these cells.

Key words
aldolase C, endocrine tumor, ductal adenocarcinoma, pancreas, immunohistochemistry

Reprint requests
Yuji Okada First Department of Surgery, Nagoya City University School of Medicine
1 Kawazumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467 JAPAN

Accepted
January 12, 1994

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