Liver Cancer
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 28, 2005; 11(16): 2398-2401
Published online Apr 28, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i16.2398
Expression of β-catenin in hepatocellular carcinoma
Liem Thanh Tien, Masahiro Ito, Mikiko Nakao, Daisuke Niino, Meirmanov Serik, Masahiro Nakashima, Chun-Yang Wen, Hiroshi Yatsuhashi, Hiromi Ishibashi
Liem Thanh Tien, Masahiro Ito, Mikiko Nakao, Department of Pathology, National Nagasaki Medical Center, 2-1001-1 Kubara, Omura, Nagasaki 856-8562, Japan
Daisuke Niino, Meirmanov Serik, Chun Yang Wen, Department of Molecular Pathology, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
Masahiro Nakashima, Tissue and Histopathology Section Division of Scientific Data Registry, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
Chun-Yang Wen, Department of Digestive Disease, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China
Hiroshi Yatsuhashi, Hiromi Ishibashi, Clinical Research Center, National Nagasaki Medical Center, 2-1001-1 Kubara, Omura, Nagasaki 856-8562, Japan
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Masahiro Ito, MD, Department of Pathology, National Nagasaki Medical Center, 2-1001-1 Kubara, Omura, Nagasaki 856-8562, Japan. itohm@nmc.hosp.go.jp
Telephone: +81-957-52-3128 Fax: +81-957-54-0292
Received: June 8, 2004
Revised: June 9, 2004
Accepted: August 12, 2004
Published online: April 28, 2005
Abstract

AIM: The β-catenin has been recognized as a critical member of the Wnt signaling pathway and plays an important role in the generation/differentiation of many tissues. Inappropriate activation of this pathway has been implicated in carcinogenesis. The mechanism underlying the development as well as its prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has remained unclear. The purpose of this study is to analyze the expression of β-catenin in HCC in relation to histological grades and viral hepatitis backgrounds.

METHODS: Thirty-two sections were selected at random from autopsy and surgical cases of HCC. Immuohistologically, the location and positivity of β-catenin expression in HCC was examined.

RESULTS: Normal hepatocytes did not express β-catenin. In 78% of HCC β-catenin was expressed at the membrane of the cells, with or without cytoplasmic and/or nuclear expression. The tumor cells with well- and moderately-differentiated grades expressed frequently at the membrane and cytoplasm compared with poorly-differentiated type. Nuclear expression of β-catenin was prone to occur in the tumor cells of poorly-differentiated grade. There were 15% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) backgrounds with nuclear expression. In contrast, there was 38% with nuclear expression in hepatitis B virus (HBV) backgrounds. In nonB-nonC hepatitis, no case expressed nuclear β-catenin.

CONCLUSION: The β-catenin expression in HCC cells was heterogenous among types of hepatitis viral infection. Wnt signaling pathway might be deeply involved in less-differentiated HCC and HBV background.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; β-Catenin; Immunohistochemistry