Abstract
An immunohistochemical investigation of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), a specific neural isomer of the widely distributed glycolytic enzyme 2-phospho-D-glycerate hydolase, was carried out in the pancreatic tissue of 41 patients with ductal carcinoma of the pancreas. Silver staining technique for argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) was also performed, and the AgNOR count and area of each patient were calculated by computer imaging analysis. Then, the relationship between the immunohistochemical expression of NSE and the AgNOR count and area were investigated.
Immunoreactivity for NSE was observed in 21 of the 41 ductal carcinomas (51.2%), and the incidence of NSE positivity was higher in tubular adenocarcinoma. The mean AgNOR count and area in the NSE positive patients were higher than those in the patients without immunoreactivity for NSE (AgNOR count: 4.71±1.09vs. 4.20±0.79; AgNOR area: 3.38±1.08μm2vs. 2.77±0.83μm2). The differences in AgNOR count and area between these groups suggest that neoplastic cells expressing NSE have a higher malignant potential than those without NSE. After postoperative deaths were excluded, we stratified the patients into two groups according to NSE immunoreactivity. Patients without NSE immunoreactivity survived longer than those with immunoreactivity.
In conclusion, the NSE immunoreactivity of ductal carcinoma of the pancreas may directly reflect the malignant potential of neoplastic cells and may be a useful prognostic parameter.
