Comparative image cytometric DNA ploidy of liver cell dysplasia and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Large-cell liver cell dysplasia (LCD), suggested to be a preneoplastic change that progresses to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has a reported frequency of DNA aneuploidy by flow cytometry intermediate between that of nonneoplastic liver (0%) and HCC (80%). We assessed DNA ploidy by image cytometry of Feulgen-stained 5-microns sections of 30 livers with LCD and of 60 HCCs (29 with LCD in adjacent nonmalignant liver). All 30 LCDs were aneuploid, 27 (90%) of which were multiploid--11 (41%) with hyperdiploid and hypertetraploid peaks. Forty-eight (80%) HCCs were aneuploid; in nine of 20 (42%) with a hyperdiploid peak, a hyperdiploid peak was also present in the LCDs, but in none was there less than 0.24 between DNA indices. Besides the 12 (20%) diploid HCCs, a diploid peak was present in four heterogenous, three multiploid, and six HCCs with two phenotypes and two genotypes, one of which was diploid. One aneuploid/hyperdiploid peak in each of 22 nonneoplastic and 24 cirrhotic livers did not have a corresponding LCD or HCC aneuploid peak. These data do not suggest that dysplastic hepatocytes form a single mutant clone that progresses to HCC.
Rubin
E M
EM
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
DeRose
P B
PB
Cohen
C
C
D000782:Aneuploidy; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D011003:Ploidies; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004247:DNA