Ultrastructural, histochemical, and biochemical studies of two cases with amylase, ACTH, and β-MSH producing tumor

Abstract

Two cases of intrathoracic tumor, different in histology and accompanied by hyperamylasemia, were studied ultrastructurally, histochemically, and biochemically. The ultrastructure of the tumor cell cytqplasm showed many zymogen granules in case 1 and smaller cored granules in addition to zymogen granules in case 2 . Both tpmors contained not only a large amount of amylase, which was electrophoretically of saliva type with three components, but also significant amounts of immunoreactive ACTH and @-MSH. Starch film and immunofluorescence showed that the tumor cells stored amylase. It was concluded from these findings that the tumor cells ectopically producing amylase, which showed differentiation toward the cells with zymogen production, could differentiate toward the cells of ACTH-MSH system at the same time.

A Cose of Amylase-producing Lung Cancer.

“…Pronounced hyperamylasemia can be observed chiefly in diseases of the salivary gland and pancreas, but has also been noted to occur in some cases of lung cancer (1)(2)(3). To date, however, the pathogenesis of hyper amylasemia in lung cancer has yet to be clearly established.…”

High amylase activity in pleural fluid and primary bronchogenic adenocarcinoma

“…In this regard cases where lung carcinoma was associated not only with hyperamylasaemia but also with the production of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) or melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH), are particularly interesting. In these patients, direct proof of amylase production by neoplastic bronchogenic cells was furnished by histochemical and immunohistochemical methods [13]. Moreover, using a culture technique, UEDA et al [14] demonstrated amylase production in isolated tumour cells of an ovarian adenocarcinoma.…”

Sialyl Salivary–Type Amylase Associated with Ovarian Cancer

“…Studies of tumor-producing amylase originated with Weiss et al's 1951 report illustrating a case of bronchogenic carcinoma associated with elevated serum amylase levels [1]. Since then, many reports have focused on lung cancer-producing amylase [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11], and there have been similar reports in pancreatic [12], stomach [13], uterine [14], and ovarian cancers [15,16]. Moreover, there have been reports of non-epithelial amylase-producing osteosarcoma [17] and multiple myeloma [18][19][20].…”