[Heterogeneity of gastrin-containing G-cells and its expression in gastric adenocarcinomas and endocrine tumors].

The heterogeneity of gastrin-containing G cells present in human gastric mucosa has been examined immunohistochemically. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), calcitonin and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-immunoreactivity were detected in about 500, 20 and 10 cells pro 1,000 G cells, respectively, these findings supporting the "one cell, multi-hormone theory". Gastrin, calcitonin immunoreactive tumor cells were demonstrated in 13%, 3% of the antral adenocarcinomas and 17% and 10% of antral endocrine tumors, but they were not found in fundic adenocarcinomas and endocrine tumors. Cell hybridization between the tumor cell and the G-cell might be a possible mechanism for the occurrence of gastric and calcitonin in the gastric tumors. HCG-immunoreactive tumor cells were detected in 27% of antral adenocarcinomas, and in 24% of the fundic adenocarcinomas, and the production of hCG by gastric tumor cells might be based on the gene expression during carcinogenesis, regardless of the tumor localization.