title: High expression of cancer stem cell markers in cholangiolocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cholangiolocellular carcinoma (CLC) is an extremely rare malignant liver tumor. It is thought to originate from the ductules and/or canals of Hering, where hepatic stem cells (HpSC) are located, but there are few reports on cancer stem cell markers in CLC. Thus, we evaluated the significance of cancer stem cell markers, including CD133, CD44, and EpCAM, in CLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects of this study were three patients with CLC and one patient with an intermediate type of combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (CHC). The cancer cell markers, CK7, CK19, and EMA, were evaluated immunohistochemically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histological examination of the CLC revealed morphologically cholangiolar features and immunohistochemical examination revealed positivity for CD133, CD44, and EpCAM. On the other hand, in the intermediate type of CHC, only CD44 was positive, whereas CD133 and EpCAM were negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CLC may have stronger features derived from HpSCs than an intermediate type of CHC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwahashi
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Utsunomiya
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morine
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imura
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikemoto
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hanaoka
authors.forename: Yoshimi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bando
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D006023:Glycoproteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides