title: Hepatocellular carcinoma with progenitor cell features distinguishable by the hepatic stem/progenitor cell marker NCAM.
abstract: We analyzed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with progenitor cell features using hepatic stem/progenitor cell marker neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM). Approximately 8.3% of the operated HCC cases expressed NCAM, and 22.3% of the HCC patients had soluble NCAM levels >1000ng/ml (the "highly soluble" NCAM group). Soluble NCAM status was a significant independent factor predictive of long-term survival in patients with HCC, and high levels of soluble NCAM were significantly related to intrahepatic metastasis. The 140-kDa NCAM isoform was specifically detected in the "highly soluble" NCAM group of HCC patients andits related signals are potential drug targets for NCAM+ HCC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata, Japan. atsunori@med.niigata-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Atsunori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Hiroteru
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamimura
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takamura
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamagiwa
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suda
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nomoto
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoyagi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D020033:Protein Isoforms