Immunohistochemical expression of transforming growth factor alpha and epidermal growth factor receptor in gastrointestinal carcinoids.

Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), a potent growth factor belonging to the epidermal growth factor family, exerts its role in the proliferation and differentiation of normal and neoplastic cells by binding to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Coexpression of TGF-alpha and EGFR in carcinomas is believed to confer growth advantage to tumor cells. To evaluate their role in such indolent tumors as gastrointestinal (GI) carcinoids, we investigated the immunohistochemical expression of TGF-alpha and EGFR in 25 GI carcinoids (nine foregut, 13 midgut, and three hindgut) and studied the correlation of their expression with the secretory and clinicopathologic profiles of these tumors. TGF-alpha was expressed in 18 (72%) of these tumors, and whereas 16 of 17 tumors showed immunopositivity for the extracellular domain of EGFR, none expressed its intracellular domain. Ten TGF-alpha-positive tumors were positive for serotonin, seven for somatostatin, three for calcitonin, and one tumor each for gastrin, glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and growth hormone-releasing factor, respectively. Seven TGF-alpha-positive tumors were multihormonal, eight were monohormonal, and three were completely nonreactive for the regulatory substances studied. Except for its correlation with 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) expression by the tumor cells, expression of TGF-alpha showed no significant association with other pathologic attributes, for example, the site of origin, size, depth of intramural penetration, metastases, and the secretory profiles of the tumors. These findings indicate that although TGF-alpha is expressed by a high proportion of GI carcinoids, the absence of its intact receptor molecule (EGFR) on the tumor cells renders it functionally ineffective as a growth factor. Thus, unlike in carcinomas of the GI tract, TGF-alpha appears to play no role in the growth and progression of GI carcinoids, which perhaps explains the indolent behavior and slow biological progression of GI carcinoids.