肝细胞癌小上皮细胞白蛋白和CK7的表达

目的探讨人类肝癌肝组织是否存在小上皮细胞(small epitheli—cell，SEC)，这类细胞是否表达白蛋白CK7双重免疫表型。方法用肝细胞分化标记白蛋白和胆管上皮分化标记CK7抗体，对30例人肝细胞肝癌的手术标本材料作免疫组化染色，对其中10例作超微结构观察和白蛋白及CK7的免疫电镜标记。结果30例中有20例在肝癌肿瘤边缘和增生的小胆管发现有少量SEC。这类细胞既表达白蛋白，又表达CK7。电镜下，这类SEC体积较小，核大，胞质少，胞质内主要为游离核糖体，并有胞质内张力微丝及细胞间连接结构。免疫电镜下，10例中有5例可显示在同一SEC同时表达白蛋白和CK7。结论人肝细胞肝癌肝中确实存在SEC。这类SEC具有与人肝母细胞瘤和胆道闭锁肝组织中的SEC一样的形态和免疫表型特点。

Expression of both Albumin and Cytokeratin of Small Epithelial Cells in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective To investigate whether small epithelial cells (SEC) exist in human hepa-tocellularcarcinoma (HCC) and if so, whether they exhibit immunolabelling for both albumin andcytokeratin 7 (CK7). Methods Thirty cases of human HCC from operative specimens were investi-gated by immunohistochemistry with antibody against albumin, a marker of hepatocyte differentiationand CK7, a marker of biliary differentiation. Ten cases were investigated by electron microscopy and byimmuno- electron microscopy. Results The SEC were found in 20 of 30 cases that located aroundthe edges of the tumors and appeared as proliferative small biliary ductules. Under electron microscopythey were of small size, contained sparse cytoplasm, few free ribosomes, intracellular tonofilarnents, andintercellular junctions. Immunoelectron microscopically the SEC exhibited labelling for both albumin andCK7 in 5 out of 10 cases. Conclusion SEC in human HCC are found that represent the same mor-phology like those seen in hepatoblastoma and biliary atresia, co- expressed markers for hepatocytic andbiliary differentiation.