Over-expression of human carcinoma-associated antigen in intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the expression status of human carcinoma antigen (HCA) in human cholangiocellular carcinomas, and to determine the relationship between HCA and clinical features. Methods: Tissues from 60 intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (ICC) patients, and normal liver tissues from 20 hepatic hemangioma patients selected randomly were assayed for the expression of HCA by immunohistochemistry, and Western blots. Areas of poorly differentiated (n = 20), moderately-well differentiated (n = 30), highly differentiated tumors (n = 10) from different cases were evaluated. Results were recorded as positive (⩾5% of cells staining and staining intensity 2+ or 3+) or negative (<5% of cells staining and staining intensity <2+) and analyzed using the χ2 test. Results: BCE075 and BDD048 antibodies showed similar staining patterns. The positive immunostaining of BCE075 was mainly localized in the cytoplasm and cell secretions. The staining was positive in 15% of poorly differentiated ICC, 72% of moderately-well differentiated, 100% of highly differentiated tumors. But, staining was not detected in adjacent normal tissue. The differences in HCA expression among these tissues were statistically significant. Also, we found expression of HCA to be closely associated with the degree of differentiation of ICC and tumor cell morphology. There was a correlation between expression of HCA and serum CA19-9. Conclusion: The data suggest that HCA is a potential marker for the diagnosis of cholangiocellular carcinoma.

Research highlights
► Expression status of human carcinoma antigen (HCA) in human cholangiocellular carcinomas.
► Localized in the cytoplasm and cell secretions.
► Related closely to the degree of differentiation of ICC and tumor cell morphology.
► HCA is a potential marker for the diagnosis of cholangiocellular carcinoma.