Expression of hepatocyte markers in mass-forming peripheral and periductal-infiltrating hilar intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas

Abstract

In this study, the expression of hepatocyte markers, including α-fetoprotein (AFP), HepPar-1 antigen and arginase-1, was examined immunohistochemically in 14 mass-forming peripheral intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICCs) that arose from the peripheral portion of the biliary tree, and in 14 periductal-infiltrating hilar ICCs that arose from intrahepatic large bile ducts. Only 2 (14.3%) of the 14 hilar ICCs and 2 (14.3%) of the 14 peripheral ICCs expressed AFP or HepPar-1 antigen. Conversely, arginase-1 was expressed in 8 (57.1%) and 11 (78.6%) of the hilar and peripheral ICCs, respectively, and 4 (28.6%) hilar ICCs and 7 (50%) peripheral ICCs expressed arginase-1 in more than 10% of the cancer cells. The expression of arginase-1 did not differ between peripheral ICCs showing major histology of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and those showing other major histologies, including well- or moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma or papillary adenocarcinoma. Results of the present study showed that common hepatocyte markers, including AFP and HepPar-1 antigen, are rarely but definitely expressed in hilar and peripheral ICCs, and that a third hepatocyte marker, arginase-1, is expressed at a high rate in both hilar and peripheral ICCs, irrespective of their histology. These results indicate that care should be taken when using arginase-1 as a hepatocyte marker for distinguishing between a poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma and a mass--forming peripheral ICC showing the histology of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma.