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Expression of a hepatocyte membrane antigen during hepatocarcinogenesis and in the developing liver of the rat
Author(s) -
Matsumoto Masahiro,
Tamakoshi Katsutoshi,
Kanai Koichi,
Kako Makoto,
Fukumoto Tetsuo
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910410418
Subject(s) - hepatocyte , antigen , neoplastic transformation , biology , oncofetal antigen , pathology , monoclonal antibody , immunohistochemistry , membrane glycoproteins , stain , staining , antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , glycoprotein , cancer , carcinogenesis , immunology , medicine , biochemistry , genetics , tumor associated antigen , in vitro
Changes in the expression of a cell membrane antigen during hepatocarcinogenesis and in the developing liver were analyzed by HAM.4, a monoclonal antibody (MAb) against a membrane glycoprotein of normal rat hepatocyte. Of the precancerous lesions observed during hepatocarcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine, 2‐acetylaminofluorene and partial hepatectomy, early neoplastic foci were uniformly stained by HAM.4. In contrast, some cells in the neoplastic nodules at the late stage did not express HAM.4 antigen on the cell surface. Of the cancer tissues, well‐differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas were stained by HAM.4 whereas poorly differentiated carcinomas did not bind HAM.4. In developing rat liver, HAM.4 antigen was first expressed on fetal hepatocytes at the 18th day of gestation. It gradually increased until 4 weeks after birth when the intensity of the stain was almost the same as in adult rat liver. These results suggest that the expression of a membrane antigen defined by HAM.4 is closely associated with the differentiation of bile canalicular face and that HAM.4 might be useful in characterizing differentiation of cells during malignant transformation of hepatocytes.