Malignant Gastric Carcinoid Causing Ectopic ACTH Syndrome: Discrepancy of Plasma ACTH Levels Measured by Different Immunoradiometric Assays

Endocrine Journal

Masaru DOI⁶  Sunao MAE¹  Tetsuo NEMOTO³  Yukio HIRATA⁶  Hajime IZUMIYAMA⁶  Isao MINAMI⁶  Kyoichiro TSUCHIYA⁶  R.Yoshiyuki OSAMURA²  Yutaka OKI⁴  Toru TATENO⁶  Tsutomu KASUGA⁵ 

[1] Division of Medicine, Nakano General Hospital;Department of Pathology, Tokai University School of Medicine;Department of Clinical Pathology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School;Department of Medicine, Hamamatsu Medical University;Division of Pathology, Nakano General Hospital;Department of Clinical and Molecular Endocrinology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School

关键词: Ectopic ACTH syndrome;    Gastric carcinoid;    Proopiomelanocortin (POMC);    Immunoradiometric assay (IRMA);   

DOI  :  10.1507/endocrj.52.743

学科分类：内分泌与代谢学

来源: Japan Endocrine Society

【 摘 要 】

References(28)Cited-By(5)Discrepancy of plasma ACTH levels measured by different immunoradiometric assays (IRMA) in a case with malignant gastric carcinoid causing ectopic ACTH syndrome was examined by gel chromatography and immunohistochemical analysis. A 49-year-old male was found to have a large gastric tumor, with muscle wasting, hypertension, diabetes and hypokalemia caused by hypercortisolemia. His plasma ACTH levels, although initially elevated, were found to be almost in normal ranges. The discrepancy of plasma ACTH levels was proven to be due to different IRMA kits used; the initial assay was performed by a kit that could recognize high-molecular weight (HMW) form as well as ACTH(1-39), but the later assay by another kit that could recognize only ACTH(1-39). Pathological examination of the gastric tumor was consistent with the diagnosis of malignant carcinoid. Immunohistochemical study revealed that immunoreactivity of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) was positive within the tumor cells, whereas those of ACTH and prohormone convertase 1/3 were negative. Molecular sieving analysis of patient's plasma by gel chromatography coupled with ACTH radioimmunoassay which could recognize HMW form and ACTH(1-39) and two different IRMAs revealed that the predominant form of ACTH was HMW form with a minor peak of ACTH(1-39). This is a rare case of ectopic ACTH syndrome caused by malignant gastric carcinoid with preferential production of HMW form of ACTH, possibly due to unprocessed POMC.

【 授权许可】

Unknown