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- Title
Immunohistochemical metallothionein expression in hepatocellular carcinoma: relation to tumor progression and chemoresistance to platinum agents.
- Authors
Endo, Tsunehiro; Yoshikawa, Masaharu; Ebara, Masaaki; Kato, Kazuki; Sunaga, Masahiko; Fukuda, Hiroyuki; Hayasaka, Akira; Kondo, Fukuo; Sugiura, Nobuyuki; Saisho, Hiromitsu
- Abstract
<em>Background</em>. Metallothionein (MT), which is known to detoxify heavy metal ions, is considered to serve as a mechanism of resistance to platinum complex com- pounds. In the present study, MT expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was immunohistologically investigated to clarify its relationship to clinical background factors and responsiveness to anticancer drugs. <em>Methods</em>. Specimens from 117 patients with HCC were immunohistologically studied, using a monoclonal anti-MT antibody. the percentage of MT-positive HCC (MT ratio) cells was determined, to evaluate the extent of staining with anti-MT antibody. Staining with an MT ratio of more than 50% was categorized as diffusely positive; an MT ratio of 5% to less than 50% was focally positive; and an MT-ratio of less than 5% was negative. Twenty-two patients received repeated arterial infusion chemotherapy with carboplatin (CBDCA), a platinum-containing compound, and the MT expression was analyzed in relation to their chemotherapeutic response. <em>Results</em>. The ratio of MT-positive cells in HCC decreased with the degree of histological differentiation and also decreased with higher tumor stage. In patients treated with (CBDCA), the ratio of MT-positive cells in responders was significantly lower than that in non-responders. <em>Conclusions</em>. MT expression decreases with the degree of histological differentiation and decreases with increasing tumor stage in HCC. In addition, MT expression may lower the antitumor effect of CBDCA.
- Subjects
METALLOPROTEINS; LIVER cancer; IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY; MONOCLONAL antibodies; TUMORS; PROTEINS
- Publication
Journal of Gastroenterology, 2004, Vol 39, Issue 12, p1196
- ISSN
0944-1174
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00535-004-1471-1