TRANSFORMING-GROWTH-FACTOR-ALPHA (TGF-ALPHA) IN HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMAS AND ADJACENT HEPATIC PARENCHYMA

We examined stage T1 to T4 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) to determin e whether transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) presence differ ed between early- and late-stage HCC and. between tumors with low and high proliferative rates. Paraffin sections from 36 RCC were evaluated for TGF alpha and the proliferation markers Kiel 67 antigen (Ki67) or proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) by immunoperoxidase stainin g. In 12 cases, double staining for TGF alpha: and Ki67 was also perfo rmed, Eight-one percent of tumors and 94% of adjacent liver sections c ontained TGF alpha. A trend toward inverse correlation was seen betwee n the percentage of TGF alpha-positive tumor cells and the proliferati ve rate as determined by Ki67 staining, No clear correlation of TGF al pha to either tumor stage or percentage of PCNA-positive cells was see n. This study confirms the presence of TGF alpha in the majority of ea rly-and late-stage HCC. Positivity within tumor tissue is consistent w ith autocrine or paracrine stimulation. A trend toward inverse correla tion between TGF alpha-producing cells and the number of cycling cells suggests that rapidly proliferating tumors, may consume this growth f actor at an accelerated rate. Alternatively, other hepatic mitogens ma y have more functional significance in these latter tumors, Finally, t he presence of TGF alpha in peritumoral hepatocytes suggests these cel ls as potential sources of paracrine stimulation for HCC. Copyright (C ) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.