Lamellar fibrosis in the fibrolamellar variant of hepatocellular carcinoma: A role for transforming growth factor beta

Giulia Orsatti, Prodromos Hytiroglou, Swan N. Thung, Kamal G. Ishak, Fiorenzo Paronetto

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a pluripotent regulatory molecule, found in at least five different isoforms. It is produced in many different organs. In the liver, TGF-β is expressed in non-parenchymal cells, but not in hepatocytes. This growth factor is known to induce fibrosis in the course of a variety of pathologic processes. Recently, TGF-β has also been identified in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, and the suggestion has been made that this growth factor may play a role in hepatocarcinogenesis. In this study, we report the findings of immunohistochemical stains for TGF-β, performed on paraffin sections of 14 human HCCs of the usual type and 11 examples of the fibrolamellar variant (FLC). TGF-β was detected in tumor cells of 3 HCCs (21%) and 9 FLCs (82%). Compared with the HCCs, the FLCs displayed a more diffuse and intense staining pattern for TGF-β. Our findings suggest that lamellar fibrosis, which is a histologic hallmark of FLC, may be due to the action of TGF-β produced by tumor cells.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)152-156
Number of pages5
JournalLiver
Volume17
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1997
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Cancer
  • Carcinoma
  • Fibrolamellar carcinoma
  • Fibrosis-growth factor
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma
  • Hepatoma
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Liver
  • TGF-β

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Hepatology

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