Expression of HBx protein in hepatitis B virus-infected intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an etiological factor of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), but the pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the expression and possible role of HBx, an HBV-encoded potentially oncogenic protein, in HBV-infected ICC.


METHODS
Tissue samples were obtained from 54 specimens of HBV-infected ICC. Forty-four specimens were of peripheral type and 10  hilar type. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of the specimens were immunohistochemically stained for HBx and p53.


RESULTS
HBx expression was found in 70.4% (38/54) of the specimens, and it was more frequently seen in the peripheral type than in the hilar type (79.5% vs 30.0%, P=0.002). All three well-differentiated ICCs expressed HBx, whereas 76.9% (30/39) moderately-differentiated and 41.7% (5/12) poorly-differentiated ICCs had HBx expression (P=0.033). Patients with HBx expression had a significantly higher prevalence of elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (P=0.033). p53 protein expression was found in 18 of 54 cases (33.3%), and was not correlated with that of HBx.


CONCLUSIONS
HBx may contribute to the pathogenesis of ICC, particularly the peripheral type. p53 abnormality may not play a significant role in HBx-mediated oncogenicity during ICC carcinogenesis.
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreato-Vascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China.
Yan-Ming
YM
Zhou
Lu
L
Cao
Bin
B
Li
Xiu-Zhong
XZ
Zhang
Zheng-Feng
ZF
Yin
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
D015534:Trans-Activators; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein