title: The CD79α (HM47/A9) antibody is effective in distinguishing between primary hepatocellular carcinoma and primary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are two major forms of primary liver cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate CD79α (HM47/A9) antibody expression patterns in normal liver, HCC and ICC samples. HM47/A9 expression was examined in tissues surrounding liver cancer in adults, 8-week embryos and 20-week embryos. In total, 82 cases of HCC, 31 cases of ICC and 11 cases of combined HCC and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) were reviewed. HM47/A9 expression was observed as early as 8-week embryo liver tissue and exhibited focal granular cytoplasmic positivity, which was maintained throughout life. All 82 HCC cases demonstrated cytoplasmic granular positivity for HM47/A9, while no ICC cases were immunostained with HM47/A9. No CC components in cHCC-CC expressed the HM47/A9 antibody. A high number of HCC components in cHCC-CC showed positive staining for HM47/A9 [10/11 (90.9%)]. Our results suggest that HM47/A9 may be employed effectively to differentiate HCC from ICC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, People's Liberation Army 152 Hospital, Pingdingshan, Henan 467000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Congyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: CD79α; HM47/A9; primary hepatocellular carcinoma; primary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma