TY - JOUR
T1 - Lamellar fibrosis in the fibrolamellar variant of hepatocellular carcinoma
T2 - A role for transforming growth factor beta
AU - Orsatti, Giulia
AU - Hytiroglou, Prodromos
AU - Thung, Swan N.
AU - Ishak, Kamal G.
AU - Paronetto, Fiorenzo
PY - 1997/6
Y1 - 1997/6
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Cancer
KW - Carcinoma
KW - Fibrolamellar carcinoma
KW - Fibrosis-growth factor
KW - Hepatocellular carcinoma
KW - Hepatoma
KW - Immunohistochemistry
KW - Liver
KW - TGF-β
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030762644&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030762644&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1600-0676.1997.tb00798.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1600-0676.1997.tb00798.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 9249730
AN - SCOPUS:0030762644
SN - 1478-3223
VL - 17
SP - 152
EP - 156
JO - Liver International
JF - Liver International
IS - 3
ER -
