J Liver Cancer.  2015 Mar;15(1):30-35. 10.0000/jlc.2015.15.1.30.

Loss of Liver Fatty Acid Binding Protein Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinomas is Associated with a Decreased Recurrence-Free Survival

• Kim H
• Lee H
• Park YN

• KMID: 2154071
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jlc.2015.15.1.30

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Loss of liver fatty acid binding protein (LFABP) expression by immunohis-tochemistry is a useful marker for the identification of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1alpha (HNF1alpha)-inactivated hepatocellular adenomas; however, the expression status of LFABP in hepatocel-lular carcinomas (HCCs) is still unclear. We aimed to investigate the expression status of LFABP in HCCs and examine the clinicopathological characteristics of LFABP-negative HCCs.
METHODS
Immunohistochemical stains LFABP, K19 (mouse monoclonal, Dako, Glostrup, Den-mark) and EpCAM (mouse monoclonal, Calbiochem, Darmstadt, Germany) were performed on tissue microarray sections from 188 surgically resected HCCs, and the association between LFABP expression status and the clinicopathological features, survival and "stemness"-related marker expression status were analyzed.
RESULTS
Loss of LFABP expression was noted in 30 (16%) out of 188 HCCs. LFABP-negative HCCs were associated with a decreased recurrence-free survival (LFABP-negative: 17.0 +/- 4.84 months [95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.5-26.5 months] versus LFABP-positive: 51.0 +/- 8.7 months [95% CI: 34.0-68.0 months]; P=0.004). HCCs with LFABP expression loss were more frequently larger and showed more frequent vascular invasion, although not statistically sig-nificant; and an inverse correlation was seen between LFABP expression and K19 expression status (P=0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Loss of LFABP expression is seen in HCCs, and is associated with a decreased recurrence-free survival.

Keyword

Hepatocellular carcinoma; Liver fatty-acid binding protein; Immunohistochemis-try; Prognosis

MeSH Terms

Adenoma, Liver Cell
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular*
Coloring Agents
Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins*
Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-alpha
Liver*
Prognosis
Coloring Agents
Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins
Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-alpha