title: Expression and role of epithelial cell adhesion molecule in dysplastic             nodule and hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) has been proposed as a marker             for cancer stem cells in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the function             and clinical significance of EpCAM in HCC is largely unknown. We examined EpCAM             expression and localization in 28 dysplastic nodules (DNs) and their corresponding             cirrhotic nodules, 79 HCC tissue sections and 132 HCC tissue microarray cores             by immunohistochemistry and determined the relationship to clinicopathologic findings.             We also examined the role of EpCAM in HCC using synthetic small interfering RNA             to silence EpCAM gene expression in Huh-7 cells. EpCAM expression was very rare             in DNs but dominantly appeared in a distinctly nodular type of small HCC. Expression             of EpCAM was observed in 39% (31/79) of HCC tissue sections and in 34.1% (45/132)             of tissue microarray sections. EpCAM expression in HCC was significantly associated             with high tumor grade and serum α-fetoprotein level. Silencing EpCAM gene expression             significantly decreased the proliferative activity and invasiveness of HCC cells.             EpCAM expression was an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients             with T1 HCC. The data indicate that EpCAM expression occurs at distinct nodular             stage of HCC and could play an important role in HCC progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chonbuk National University, Medical School, and Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Sang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Sang Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Kyu Yun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Ho Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Myoung Ja
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Cheol Keun
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Woo Sung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule