ECE2020 Audio ePoster Presentations Pituitary and Neuroendocrinology (217 abstracts)
1Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health and Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek; 2Herford Teaching Hospital; 3Department of Cancer Medicine
Introduction: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are rare malignant neoplasms which incidence is continually increasing. They are characterized by diverse biological behaviour and impact on the patients’ prognosis, ranging from clinicaly indolent to very aggressive. Oxytocin receptor (OXTR) is a member of the family of G-protein receptors and is present on the cell-surface of the gastrointestinal organs. Unfortunately, theimpact of OXTR signaling on the development of PNETs and its underlying molecular mechanisms involved in gastrointestinal oncogenesis remains unsufficiently researched. Theaim of our study was to assess the expression of OXTR in a group of patients diagnosed with metastatic PNETs.
Material and Methods: Metatatic PNETs (liver metastases) specimens (n = 24) matched control (normal) tissue were surgically collected and mRNA expression was determined by Real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time-PCR). OXTR expression for tumor and control tissue was additionally analysed by immunohistochemistry.
Results: Compared to normal tissue, the OTXR showed significant overexpression in metastatic PNETs. Moreover, significant overexpression of OXTR in tumor tissue was confirmed by immunohistochemistry.
Conclusion: Our findings highlight the possibility of making OXTR a promising novel molecular target for imaging and different therapeutic approach in patients diagnosed with metastatic PNETs.