Skip to main content
Log in

Expression of glycoconjugates in intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma

  • Published:
Virchows Archiv A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Twenty cases of intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (IHCCC) were studied by lectin histochemistry for their glycoconjugate expression. Combined alcian blue-peroxidic acid Schiff (ABPS) staining was also made for mucins in these tissues. Results showed that epithelial cells of intrahepatic bile ducts contained varied quantity of DBA, WGA, LCA, Con A, PHA, RCAI, BLAI, SJA, SBA, PSA and UEAI receptors but no PNA receptors. Lectin receptors were present at varying rates; 100% (Con A), 95% (PSA), 90% (LCA), 95% (WGA), 30% (BSAI), 35% (DBA), 65% (PHA), 74% (PNA), 85% (RCAI), 35% (SBA), 25% (SJA) and 55% (UEA0, respectively. The positive rates in well-differentiated IHCCC were significantly higher than those in either moderately or poorly-differentiated IHCCC. The distribution of lectin receptors in IHCCC was obviously different from that in peri-carcinomatous, cirrhotic and normal liver, and also differed from that in epithelial cells of normal intrahepatic bile ducts. All larger ducts were stained by ABPS and were mainly blue colour, while only 80% of IHCCC were positive for ABPS staining. Most of them were blue, others were red or purple. The results suggest that the expression of glycoconjugates had changed after the neoplastic transformation of bile duct cells.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allison RT (1986) Lectins in diagnostic histopathology. Med Lab Sci 43:369–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Barondes SH (1981) Lectin: their multiple endogenous cellular functions. Ann Rev Biochem 50:207–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Buamah PK, Harris R, James OFW, Skillen AW (1986) Lentillectin-reactive alpha-fetoprotein in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant liver disease. Clin Chem 32:2083–2084

    Google Scholar 

  • Buamah PK, Cornell C, Cassells-Smith AJ, Skillen AW (1987) Differential reactivity of α-fetoprotein with lectins and its usefulness in the diagnosis of various liver diseases. Clin Chim Acta 168:69–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper HS (1984) Lectins as probes in histochemistry and immunohistochemistry: the peanut (Arachis hypogaea) lectin. Human Pathol 15:904–906

    Google Scholar 

  • Damjanov I (1987) cytochemistry and histochemistry. Lab Invest 57:5–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Edmondson HA (1958) Tumors of the liver and intrahepatic bile ducts. Atlas of tumor pathology Section VII-Fascicle 25. Armed Fores Institute of Pathology, Washington DC, pp 80–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Hakomori S-I (1985) Aberrant glycosylation in cancer cell membranes as focused on glycolipids: overview and perspectives. Cancer Res 45:2405–2414

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoofnagle JH, Shafritz DA, Popper H (1987) Chronic type B hepatitis and the “healthy” HBsAg carrier state. Hepatology 7:758–763

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsu S-M, Raine L (1981) Protein A, avidin and biotin in immunohistochemistry. J Histochem Cytochem 29:1349–1353

    Google Scholar 

  • Irimura T, Ota DM, Cleary KR (1987) Ulex europeus agglutinin I-reactive high molecular weight glycoproteins of adenocarcinoma of distal colon and rectum and their possible relationship with metastatic potential. Cancer Res 47:881–889

    Google Scholar 

  • Levin S, Russell EC, Blanchard D, McWilliams NB, Maurer HM, Mohanakamar T (1980) Receptors for peanut agglutinin (Arachis-hypogaea) in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia: possible clinical significance. Blood 55:37–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Lis H, Sharon N (1986) Lectins as molecules and as tools. Ann Rev Biochem 55:35–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Miner KM, Kawaguchi T, Uba GW, Nicolson GL (1982) Clonal drift of cell surface, melanogenic and experimental metastatic properties of in vivo-selected, brain meningescolonizing murine B16 melanoma. Cancer Res 42:4631–4636

    Google Scholar 

  • Morry RW (1984) Combined alcian blue-PAS technique. In: Bancroft JD, Cook HC (eds) Manual of histological techniques. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh London Melbourne New York, pp 111–112

  • Nicolson GL (1982) Cancer metastasis. Organ colonization and the cell-surface properties of malignant cells. Biochim Biophys Acta 695:113–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicolson GI (1984) Cell surface molecules and metastasis. Regulation of metastatic phenotypic diversity. Exp Cell Res 150:3–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Pang KY, Bresson JL, Walker WA (1987) Development of gastrointestinal surface. VIII Lectin identification of carbohydrate differences. Am J Physiol 252:G685-G691

    Google Scholar 

  • Popper H, Shafritz DA, Hoofnagle JH (1987) Relation of the hepatitis B virus carrier state to hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology 7:764–772

    Google Scholar 

  • Pritchard DJ, Butler WH (1988) The lectin binding characteristics of aflatoxin B1 induced lesions in rat liver. J Pathol 154:269–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Ree HJ, Kadin ME (1985) Lectin distinction of benign from malignant histiocytes. Cancer 56:2046–2050

    Google Scholar 

  • Reuben A (1984) Biliary proteins. Hepatology 4:465–505

    Google Scholar 

  • Springer GF, Desai PR, Murphy MS, Yang HJ, Scanlon FF (1979) Precursors of the blood group MN antigens as human carcinoma associated antigens. Transfusion 19:233–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Steck PA, Nicolson GL (1983) Cell surface glycoproteins of 13762 NF mammary adenocarcinoma clones of differing metastatic potentials. Exp Cell Res 147:255–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang S, Wu M, Chen H, Zhang X (1989a) Localization of WGA receptors in liver tumor tissues. J Med Coll PLA 4:37–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang S, Wu M, Chen H, Zhang X (1989b) Expression of glycoconjugates in hepatocellular carcinoma. Histochemistry 92: (in press)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhang, S., Wu, M., Chen, H. et al. Expression of glycoconjugates in intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 415, 395–401 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00747740

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00747740

Key words

Navigation