Expression of synaptic vesicle protein 2 (SV2) in neuroendocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas

Identification of neuroendocrine differentiation in tumours has important implications for prognosis and therapy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate monoclonal antibodies against synaptic vesicle protein 2 (SV2) as histopathological markers for neuroendocrine differentiation in tumours of the gastroinestinal tract and pancreas. Paraffin blocks from 211 gastrointestinal tumours were examined by immunocytochemistry, using a monoclonal antibody against SV2. Virtually all endocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract (11/11 gastric, 53/53 ileal, 16121 appendiceal, and 22/22 rectal) and pancreas (24/24) were positively labelled. SV2 labelling was also demonstrated in gastrointestinal pacemaker cell tumours (818), while adenocarcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas were negative, with the exception of occasional adenocarcinomas demonstrating weak SV2 labelling (stomach 1/22, rectum 1/29, and pancreas 0121). Western blotting of tumour biopsies confirmed expression of SV2 in endocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. No relationship was observed between SV2 expression in tumours and hormone production or malignant potential. In conclusion, SV2 is expressed in neuroendocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas, but not in non-endocrine tumours. The SV2 monoclonal antibody can therefore be used as a general marker for neuroendocrine differentiation in gastrointestinal and pancreatic tumours. Copyright 2001 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.