The purpose of this study was to determine if salivary chromogranin a secretion in dogs exhibits a circadian rhythm. Saliva sampling was performed during three different sessions occurring in three nonconsecutive 24-h periods. Sixteen healthy adult beagle dogs (8 males and 8 females) were moved to a sampling room and housed individually in cages. Saliva samples were obtained every 4 h from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. the following day. In the interest of habituation, saliva was obtained hourly from each dog 3 h before the experiment was started. Salivary chromogranin A concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. No circadian rhythm was detected for salivary chromogranin A secretion, and no differences in salivary chromogranin A concentrations measured every 4 h were demonstrated during the 24-h cycle in dogs.
Animals ; Chromogranin A/*analysis/*metabolism ; *Circadian Rhythm ; Dogs/*physiology ; Saliva/*chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the pathogenesis and significance of neuroendocrine breast carcinoma by detecting chromogranin A (CgA) in human mammary tissues.

METHODEighty-nine cases of human mammary tissues were collected to detect CgA expression using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTNo CgA expression was detected in normal or hyperplastic tissues, but its expression was found in mammary carcinoma tissues at the rate of 16.7%. A significant difference in CgA expression was found between cancer tissues and non-cancer tissues, but not between the cancer tissues with different pathological grades.

CONCLUSIONThe pathogenesis of mammary neuroendocrine carcinoma may involve the micro-environmental factors that affect the differentiation of stem cells to give rise to immature cells, cell differentiation in other lineages or transdifferentiation. CgA may serve as an immunological parameter for this type of breast cancer in routine screening test.

Breast ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; etiology ; metabolism ; Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo observe the possible correlation between expression of chromogranin A (CGA) and myocardial fibrosis and investigate the potential role of CGA in the development of myocardial fibrosis in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

METHODSSurgical myocardial specimen from 10 DCM patients underwent successful orthotopic cardiac transplantation, and 3 normal myocardial specimen from brain-dead organ donors were obtained. CGA-mRNA, COLI-mRNA, COLIII-mRNA and ADAMTS-1-mRNA were analyzed by real-time PCR. The location and expression of CGA were assessed by immunohistochemistry(INH)with anti-CGA antibody. The collagen specific picrosirius red staining was applied on transversal myocardial slides and the collagen volume fraction (CVF) was calculated. The correlation between CGA and CVF was analyzed.

RESULTSCytoplasmic expression of CGA assessed by INH showed large amount of strong positive granules densely arranged in the epicardial and endocardial myocardiocytes in DCM specimen while there was only few sparse granules in the normal myocardium (P < 0.05). CVF was significantly higher in DCM myocardial specimen than that in normal specimen (P < 0.001). CGA-mRNA was significantly correlated with COLI-mRNA (r = 0.729), COLIII-mRNA (r = 0.95) and ADAMTS-1-mRNA (r = 0.665, all P < 0.05). Moreover, collagen deposition location was almost identical with the strong positive expression location of CGA.

CONCLUSIONWe demonstrated for the first time that the deposition of CGA was related with the myocardial fibrosis in DCM heart, therefore, CGA might play an important role by influencing myocardial remodeling and fibrosis in DCM patients.

Adult ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chromogranin A ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; pathology

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Aged ; Carcinoid Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; metabolism ; Rectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism

Adult ; Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; therapy ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; metabolism ; Somatostatin ; metabolism ; Somatostatinoma ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; therapy ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the appropriate sampling time of the salivary stress markers, chromogranin A (CgA) and cortisol as objective indices of job stress assessment in adult females. METHODS: The subjects were 20~39-year-old women (13 office workers, 11 sales-service workers, and 11 college students) who were eligible for the study and free of acute and chronic medical conditions. Salivary CgA and cortisol levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Saliva samples were collected (2ml each) at 7:00, 8:00, 10:30, 12:00, 17:30, and 22:30 on a typical day. Salivary CgA and cortisol levels, according to sampling time, were compared among the three groups using general linear model. The full version of the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS), which includes socioeconomic characteristics, health behavior, work-related characteristics, and BMI, was used to access the subjects' job stress. Multiple regression analysis of the job stressors identified by the KOSS was performed on salivary CgA and cortisol levels. RESULTS: The salivary CgA level peaked at 7:00 (time of awakening), then decreased and were maintained at a low level throughout the day, and increased slightly at 17:30. The salivary cortisol level increased steeply within the 1st hour after awakening, followed by a gradual decrease by 12:00, and was then maintained at a low level throughout the day. The salivary cortisol levels of subjects who worked < or =5 days per week and graduated from the university were significantly lower at 8:00 (p=0.006). The salivary cortisol levels of non-smokers were significantly lower at 7:00 (p=0.040) and 8:00 (p=0.003) compared to smokers. There were no significant differences in salivary CgA and cortisol levels at 10:30 and 12:00 in general characteristics. The regression coefficients on salivary CgA level were significant with interpersonal conflict at 17:30 and job insecurity at 22:30. Regression coefficients on salivary cortisol level were significant with organizational system and total job stressors at 17:30. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the appropriate sampling times for the salivary stress markers, CgA and cortisol, are at 7:00 (time of awakening), 8:00 (1 hour after awakening), 17:30 (early evening), and 22:30 (before sleep).
Adult ; Biological Markers/metabolism ; Chromogranin A/*metabolism ; Circadian Rhythm ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone/*metabolism ; Korea ; Saliva/*metabolism ; Stress, Psychological/diagnosis/etiology/*metabolism ; Workplace/*psychology ; Young Adult

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Colonic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; methods ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Staining and Labeling ; methods ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Animals ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Cell Differentiation ; Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Neuroendocrine Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological features of different histological types of primary gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (including the esophagogastric junction), and to analyze the characteristics and difficulties in diagnosis of all the subtypes of this disease.

METHODS75 cases of primary gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (including the esophagogastric junction) were included in this study. The expressions of several markers including somatostatin, synaptophysin, chromogranin A, CD56, S-100, neuron-specific enolase and CD57 were assayed in all the specimens by immunohistochemical staining, and their significance in the diagnosis and prognosis of gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms were assessed. In addition, the relationship between various clinical parameters such as tumor location, histological types, depth of invasion and metastasis was also analyzed.

RESULTSThe incidence of gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms accounted for 1.5% of gastric cancer in the same period, and the proportion of each subtype was 53.3% (40/75) in G3, 29.3% (22/75) in MANEC, 16.0% in G1(12/75), and 1.3% (1/75) in G2, respectively. 41.7% (5/12) of the G1 showed multifocal lesions, accompanyied with neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia in the gastric mucosa. 54.67% (41/75) of the NEN located in the esophagogastric junction. The lymph node metastasis of MANEC is unique. The coincidence rate in diagnosis of preoperative biopsies and postoperative specimen was 75.0% (9/12) in G1, 72.7% (16/22) in MANEC, and 25.0% (10/40) in G3, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSGastric neuroendocrine neoplasms occur mainly in the esophagogastric junction, and most of them were highly malignant. The coincidence rate of preoperative and postoperative pathological diagnosis for primary gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms is low. Therefore, it should be very cautious when diagnosis of this disease is made in a preoperative biopsy.

Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Esophagogastric Junction ; metabolism ; Gastric Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; pathology ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism

Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pathology ; standards ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism ; World Health Organization