A case of *-fetoprotein-producing pulmonary carcinoma with restricted expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor-4* in hepatoid foci: a case report with studies of previous cases.
We report a case of *-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing pulmonary carcinoma with studies for messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-4*, which is a transcription factor that is highly expressed in the process of liver development. The patient was a 64-year-old man with a pulmonary tumor in his left lower lobe. Serum AFP was 673 ng/mL. The microscopic analysis of the surgical specimen revealed a large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma with occasional hepatoid foci. The competitive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that HNF-4* mRNA was expressed on the order of 10(2)- to 10(3)-fold more abundantly than control pulmonary carcinomas and normal lung tissues. In addition, AFP and HNF-4* expression was restricted in hepatoid foci. Two previously reported cases of AFP-producing pulmonary carcinoma were also positive, whereas all 18 control pulmonary carcinomas were negative for HNF-4*. These findings suggest that aberrant expression of HNF-4* is implicated in the emergence or maintenance of hepatoid foci in AFP-producing pulmonary carcinomas.
Department of Molecular Pathology (E3), Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. tkishi@faculty.chiba-u.jp
Takashi
T
Kishimoto
Tomoyuki
T
Yano
Kenzo
K
Hiroshima
Yoshiaki
Y
Inayama
Kae
K
Kawachi
Yukio
Y
Nakatani
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015870:Gene Expression; D051557:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051557:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins