Abstract | BACKGROUND/AIMS: METHODOLOGY: Immunohistochemical observations were performed using a monoclonal antibody for sLeX. As for the liver tissue specimens, 8 livers without any chronic liver disease and 42 diseased livers were examined, while for the nodular lesions, 5 dysplastic nodules (borderline lesions) and 47 hepatocellular carcinomas were examined in this study. RESULTS: sLeX was not expressed in all 8 normal livers. sLeX was expressed membraneously in 8 of 15 (53%) chronic hepatitic liver tissue specimens, in 8 of 9 (89%) precirrhotic liver tissue specimens and in 16 of 18 (89%) cirrhotic liver tissue specimens. The incidence of sLeX expression on hepatocytes in both pre-cirrhotic and cirrhotic liver tissue was higher than that in chronic hepatitic liver tissue (P < 0.05). The sLeX expression in liver tissue was positive in all 14 liver tissue specimens containing multiple hepatocellular carcinomas, in which at least one of the nodules was a well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma regarded as multicentric hepatocellular carcinomas. In 18 of 28 (64%) liver tissue specimens without multicentric hepatocellular carcinomas, sLeX was positive and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In nodular lesions, sLeX was negative in 5 dysplastic nodules (borderline lesions). In hepatocellular carcinoma, 14 of 47 (30%) hepatocellular carcinoma nodules showed a positive expression. Six of 14 (43%) well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas were positive on the cell membrane. Four of 23 (17%) moderately differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas were positive on the cell membrane, while one of 23 (4%) moderately differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma was positive in the cytoplasm. In addition, 3 of 10 (30%) poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas were positive in the cytoplasm. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that the sLeX-positive liver tissue specimens possessed a high degree of carcinogenicity and therefore sLeX expression in the diseased liver might be a good predictor for hepatocellular carcinoma emergence. At the same time, the suppression of sLeX occurred at a very early stage of hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition, the phenotype of sLeX was also considered to change during the progression of hepatocarcinogenesis.
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Authors | Yuh Fujiwara, Mitsuo Shimada, Kenji Takenaka, Kiyoshi Kajiyama, Ken Shirabe, Keizo Sugimachi |
Journal | Hepato-gastroenterology
(Hepatogastroenterology)
2002 Jan-Feb
Vol. 49
Issue 43
Pg. 213-7
ISSN: 0172-6390 [Print] Greece |
PMID | 11941958
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Lewis X Antigen
- Oligosaccharides
- Sialyl Lewis X Antigen
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Topics |
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
(metabolism, pathology)
- Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
(metabolism)
- Chronic Disease
- Humans
- Immunohistochemistry
- Lewis X Antigen
(metabolism)
- Liver Diseases
(metabolism, pathology)
- Liver Neoplasms
(metabolism, pathology)
- Oligosaccharides
(metabolism)
- Predictive Value of Tests
- Sialyl Lewis X Antigen
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