title: Hepatocellular carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells: possibility of osteoclastogenesis by hepatocyte-derived cells.
abstract: Giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone is a primary osteolytic tumor that is characterized by the formation of osteoclast-like giant cells. In addition to GCT of bone, extraskeletal GCT are known to be formed in several soft tissues. Giant cells in GCT of bone were suggested to be identical to osteoclasts, but the characterization of giant cells in extraskeletal GCT remains incomplete. In this study, a case of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells was analyzed. Immunohistochemistry revealed the expression of almost all markers of osteoclasts: tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, CD68, CD51, CD54 and matrix metalloprotease-9, in osteoclast-like giant cells in the tumor. In situ hybridization revealed the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B (RANK) in the giant cells and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) in the tumor cells. The hepatic origin of the sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma cells was confirmed by the expression of albumin. This is the first report suggesting that hepatocyte-derived cells possess the potential for osteoclastogenesis. In addition, these findings suggest that osteoclast-like cells in the hepatocellular carcinoma were formed by the same mechanism as osteoclastogenesis in bone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Immunology, Aging and Developmental Science, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima, Tokyo, Japan. toru.pth2@med.tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arii
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Igari
authors.forename: Morio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Katsuiku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirokawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary*; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D015415:Biomarkers; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C505686:TNFRSF11A protein, human; C506030:TNFRSF11B protein, human; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human