Cancer Res Treat.  2002 Apr;34(2):117-121.

Immunohistochemical Study of beta-catenin Expression between Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma

• Yun KJ
• Han WC
• Choi SC
• Kim TH

Abstract

PURPOSE: beta-catenin is an intracellular protein that is an integral component of the cadherin-mediated cell-cell interaction and a downstream transcriptional activator in the wnt signal transduction pathway. Inappropriate activation of beta-catenin has recently been implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. Nuclear beta-catenin expression is strongly associated with gene mutation. This study was designed to evaluate the pattern of beta-catenin expression between hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Immunohistochemical expression of beta-catenin was studied in 7 normal livers, 33 hepatocellular carcinomas and 20 cholangiocarcinomas, that were formalin fixed and paraffin embedded.
RESULTS
beta-catenin was expressed mainly in the cytoplasmic membrane of the normal hepatocytes and bile ducts. Nuclear expressions, not noted in the normal liver, were noted in 30% of the hepatocellular carcinomas and 10% of the cholangiocarcinomas. And, nuclear expression was more common in the high grade (50%) hepatocellular carcinomas than the low grade (18%) hepatocellular carcinomas (p<=0.05).
CONCLUSION
The above results indicate that nuclear expression of beta-catenin is observed in the carcinoma but not the normal liver, and is associated with high grade liver carcinoma.

Keyword

Hepatocellular carcinoma; Cholangiocarcinoma; beta-catenin

MeSH Terms

beta Catenin*
Bile Ducts
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular*
Cell Membrane
Cholangiocarcinoma*
Formaldehyde
Hepatocytes
Liver
Paraffin
Signal Transduction
Formaldehyde
Paraffin
beta Catenin