Expression of heparin binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor in hepatocellular carcinoma: an immunohistochemical study.
Previous studies have demonstrated an elevated level of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) mRNA in hepatocarcinogenesis in a rodent model and of its protein as well as mRNA in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In order to elucidate the clinical significance of HB-EGF in human HCC, we immunohistochemically investigated its expression in 100 HCC cases with different characteristics. HB-EGF was not or only faintly expressed in non-cancerous hepatocytes. On the other hand, 59% of the HCC cases were classified as positive for HB-EGF, and its expression was more frequently observed in cases with low proliferating activity, at an early stage, of small size, without portal invasion, low alpha-fetoprotein level, without satellite nodules (borderline significance), and well or moderate differentiation. Furthermore, HB-EGF expression showed prognostic significance in both univariate and multivariate analyses and can be regarded as an independent prognostic factor of disease-free survival. These results strongly suggest the involvement of HB-EGF in early stage of HCC.
Ito
Y
Y
Department of Surgery, Osaka Seamen's Insurance Hospital, 1-8-30 Chikko, Minato-ku, Osaka 552-0021, Japan.
Takeda
T
T
Higashiyama
S
S
Sakon
M
M
Wakasa
K I
KI
Tsujimoto
M
M
Monden
M
M
Matsuura
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
C587883:HBEGF protein, human; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor