Immunohistochemical Study of PCNA Expression in Chronic Hepatitis C and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Chung, Kyu Won; Sun, Hee Sik; Kim, Boo Sung; Lee, Chang Don; Lee, Young Suk; Choi, Sang Wook; Yang, Jin Mo; Lee, Bong Soo; Bang, Choong Sang; Na, Jon Soon

Abstract

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: It has been reparted that pmliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) wouM be related to proliferating cells, and thus the PCNA labelling index may provide useful information about the hepatecjte ngeaeration of chronic hepatitis and the biologic behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Tbe aims of this study were to investigate any carrelation between the PCNA labellmg index and distribution pattern of proliferating cells in chronie hepatitis C and HCC in Korea.
METHODS
We obtained biopsy specimens in 31 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 49 patients with HCC.
RESULTS
PCNA expession rate and PCNA labelling index were 70,9 %(22/31cases), 3.1 +/- 0.4 % in ehtonic hepatitis C, 72,2 %(26/36cases), 4.1 > 1.7% in noncancerous tissue of HCC, 94,4 %(34/35cases), 21.2 +/- 4.6% in cancer tissue of HCC, respectively. Bxpression rate af PCNA was significandy higher in HCC than that of chronic hepatitis C and noncancerous portion of HCC cases. 22 patients(70.9%) of 31 patients with chronic heaptitis C were positive in PCNA immunohistochemical staining. Incidence of distribution of PCNA positive hepatocytes in the lobule was 100% in periportal area, 68.1 % in mi*dxanal area, 13.6% in pericentral area and 22.7 % in bile ductules, respectively. And 72.7 % in periportal area and midzonal area,4.5% in periportal area and pericetnal area, 13.6% in panlobular area.In patients with HCC, many PCNA positive tumor cells were seen thmughout the neoplasms.
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the proliferating a4tivities such as PCNA labelling index and PCNA expression pattern may represent the chronicity of chranic hepatitis C.