Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2006) 11 P537

ECE2006 Poster Presentations Endocrine tumours and neoplasia (116 abstracts)

Somatostatin receptor subtypes 1–5 in pituitary tumors of various etiologies: investigation by immunohistochemistry

N Unger 1 , I Serdiuk 1 , W Saeger 2 , H Wiedemeyer 3 , J Van de Nes 4 , S Schulz 5 , D Stolke 3 , K Mann 1 & S Petersenn 1


1Division of Endocrinology, Medical Center, University of Essen, Essen, Germany; 2Institute of Pathology, Marienhospital, Hamburg, Germany; 3Department of Neurosurgery, University of Essen, Essen, Germany; 4Institute of Pathology, University of Essen, Essen, Germany; 5Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.


For somatostatin, five receptor subtypes (sst1-5) have been identified that are widely distributed in various endocrine tissues and tumors. Potent somatostatin analogs like octreotide, lanreotide and the new multiligand SOM230 – with different binding properties to the receptor subtypes - have been developed. We examined somatostatin receptor protein expression in 134 pituitary tumors of various etiologies. Immunostaining was performed with specific polyclonal antibodies for sst1-5. Seventeen growth hormone-producing adenomas (GH), 23 ACTH-producing adenomas (CUSH), 36 prolactinomas (PROL) and 47 non-functioning adenomas (NFA), as well as 11 atypical adenomas (AA) were investigated. Staining pattern, distribution and subcellular localization of ssts were evaluated. A tissue known to stain positively for the respective sst was used as a positive control. About 70% of GH were positively stained for sst2A. About 20% expressed sst1 and 6% were positive for each sst3, 4 and 5. Sst5 was detected in >60% of positively stained tumor cells, while sst1, 3 and 4 were found in <60% of tumor cells. About 11% of PROL expressed sst2A. Sst4 was found in about 6% of PROL and about 3% were positively stained for each sst1, 3 and 5.Seventy percent of CUSH were positively stained for sst2A. Interestingly, sst4 was detected in 40% of CUSH. Sst1 and 3 were found in about 10% and sst5 was detected in 5% of CUSH only. About 40% of NFA were positive for sst2A, about 30% for sst3, 20% for sst1 and 4, and 11% for sst5. AA revealed an sst2A-immunostaining in approx. 30%. Sst3 and 4 were expressed in 20% of AA, whereas sst1 and sst5 were not detected. In pituitary tumors, Somatostatin receptor proteins are expressed with tumor-specific distribution pattern. This may offer new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities with multiligand or subtype specific somatostatin analogs.

Volume 11

8th European Congress of Endocrinology incorporating the British Endocrine Societies

European Society of Endocrinology 
British Endocrine Societies 

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