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Comparative analysis of p53 and c-myc expression and cell proliferation in human hepatocellular carcinomas-an enhanced immunohistochemical approach

  • Original Papers
  • Clinical Oncology
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Abstract

Expression of p53 and c-myc was investigated and compared with cell proliferative activity in a series of 40 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), by means of enhanced immunohistochemistry. p53 expression was demonstrated in 5 out of 40 HCC (12.5%) with the incidence increasing in proportion to the histological grading of malignancy: thus, 0% of well-differentiated, 6.9% of moderately differentiated and 33.3% of poorly differentiated lesions were positive. The proliferating-cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling index also showed a statistically significant increase with this grading. Distribution patterns of PCNA-positive cell were divided into four types: scatter, marginal, mosaic and diffuse. Four HCC cases, predominantly of the poorly differentiated type, exhibited the diffuse pattern. Generally, p53 overexpression corresponded well with PCNA positivity. In contrast, there was no correlation between c-myc overexpression, found in 19 out of 40 HCC (47.5%), and histological grading of HCC or PCNA labeling index. The distribution pattern of c-myc-positive HCC cells was also different from that of PCNA and p53. Our results suggest that p53 overexpression closely relates to proliferation of HCC cells. Furthermore, there may be a consistent difference in regulatory mechanisms between p53 and c-myc expression in multistep hepatocarcinogenesis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1, Kitasato, 228, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan

    Makoto Saegusa, Yasuo Takano & Masahiko Okudaira

  2. Department of Pathology, Kawasaki Municipal Hospital, 12-1 Shinkawadouri, 210, Kawasaki, Japan

    Hiroshi Kishimoto

  3. Department of Sungery, Kawasaki Municipal Hospital, 12-1 Shinkawadouri, 210, Kawasaki, Japan

    Go Wakabayashi & Katsuhiko Nohga

Authors
  1. Makoto Saegusa
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  2. Yasuo Takano
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  3. Hiroshi Kishimoto
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  4. Go Wakabayashi
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  5. Katsuhiko Nohga
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  6. Masahiko Okudaira
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Saegusa, M., Takano, Y., Kishimoto, H. et al. Comparative analysis of p53 and c-myc expression and cell proliferation in human hepatocellular carcinomas-an enhanced immunohistochemical approach. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 119, 737–744 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01195346

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01195346

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