Amyloid protein in somatostatinoma differs from human islet amyloid polypeptide

Amyloid deposits in somatostatinomas are rare observations. To examine the characteristics of this amyloid, we compared amyloid deposits in a somatostatinoma to those found in pancreatic tissue in patients with Type II diabetes mellitus and in insulinomas, using immunohistochemical techniques and specific antibodies to islet amyloid polypeptide or other pancreatic hormones, as well as electron-microscopy. Antibodies to islet amyloid polypeptide regions 8-17 or 25-37 were confirmed to be specific. Amyloid deposits in patients with Type II diabetes mellitus and in insulinomas, but not those in the somatostatinoma strongly reacted with these antibodies, or to an antibody to amyloid P component. Amyloid deposits in the somatostatinoma were not reactive with antibodies to somatostatin or to other pancreatic hormones. Electron-microscopic examinations revealed that amyloid fibrils in the somatostatinoma were thinner and more randomly distributed than were those in islets from patients with Type II diabetes mellitus. As amyloid in somatostatinomas is unlike that consisting of islet amyloid polypeptide or other mature pancreatic hormones, it may be a novel type of local amyloid in pancreatic islets.