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. 1989 Feb;134(2):465–471.

Transthyretin in endocrine pancreatic tumors.

B Jacobsson 1, A Carlström 1, V P Collins 1, L Grimelius 1
PMCID: PMC1879595  PMID: 2464944

Abstract

The occurrence of transthyretin (TTR) in 25 endocrine pancreatic tumors was investigated by immunohistochemical methods using both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. All malignant insulinomas were strongly TTR immunoreactive, more so than their benign counterparts, which in some cases were TTR negative. All glucagonomas and nonfunctioning tumors were TTR immunoreactive, whereas gastrinomas and VIPomas were TTR negative. TTR, chromogranin A, and the argyrophil reaction (Grimelius' silver technique) had similar distributions among the cells in many, but not all, tumors. Coexistence of TTR with glucagon, insulin, or pancreatic polypeptide in tumor cells was demonstrated. TTR was also quantitated in preoperative serum samples by electroimmuno assay in some cases. Although one patient with a glucagonoma had a markedly increased serum TTR level, five other patients with endocrine tumors, including two patients with glucagonoma, had TTR levels in serum that were within or below the reference range.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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