Immunohistochemical localization of metallothionein in hepatocellular carcinoma: preferential expression in non-cancerous cirrhotic nodules.
Metallothionein (MT), an oncofocal gene product was strongly expressed in 35%-95% of hepatocytes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and MT-positive hepatocytes were localized mainly in the non-cancerous cirrhotic nodules but not in malignant hepatocytes. On the other hand, <10% hepatocytes showed weak staining for MT in chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of liver. Strong expressions of MT in non-cancerous cirrhotic nodule in HCC and low expressions in liver cirrhosis without HCC indicate a relationship between malignant transformation of hepatocytes and the expression of MT.
Tanimoto
K
K
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Shigenobu-Cho, Ehime 791-0295, Japan.
Akbar
S M
SM
Yamauchi
Y
Y
Michitaka
K
K
Horiike
N
N
Onji
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D008668:Metallothionein