Abstract

BACKGROUND
Expression studies of somatostatin receptor type 2A (SSTR2A) in neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) led to the development of clinically relevant diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. However, most of these strategies used in-house-developed antibodies and were focused on lung tumors. We evaluated commercially available SSTR2A antibodies in NENs of the colorectum to observe their subcellular localization and distribution within the resected tumor.
METHODS
The immunohistochemistry of 77 NENs located in the colorectum were studied using a commercially available antibody against SSTR2A.
RESULTS
Most neuroendocrine tumors (NET) grade (G)1 and G2 expressed the SSTR2A in the cytoplasm with apical or luminal localization. However, all neuroendocrine carcinomas (NEC) G3 were negative for SSTR2A.
CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that SSTR2A immunohistochemistry shows cytoplasmic staining with distinct subcellular localization in most NET G1 in the colorectum using a commercially available antibody. Low or no expression of SSTR2A in NET G2 and NEC G3 raises the possibility that SSTR2A may correlate with histologic differentiation and proliferative activity. Further validation studies in large case series are needed.

• Keywords: Neuroendocrine neoplasm;Somatostatin receptor 2;Colorectum