pag. 295-398 - Siapec

328COMUNICAZIONI LIBEREw.d. 1:100), applied overnight at 4°C. The percentage ofstained cells was graded for semiquantitative purposes as follows:0 (no staining); 1 (>0 to 5%); 2 (>5 to 25%); 3 (>25 to50%); 4 (>50%). The possible correlations between immunohistochemicaldata and morphological characteristics of lesionswere investigated using non-parametric methods.ResultsMT immunoexpression was found in 54/81 cases (66.6 %)with a variable staining score. In particular 19/31 hepatocellularcarcinomas, 7/21 liver metastases, 9/10 ductal and ampullarpancreatic carcinomas and 2/2 gallbladder sampleswere stained. Moreover, 8/8 focal nodular hyperplastic ordysplastic lesions and 9/9 viral-related cirrhosis showed aconstant staining score ranging from 3 to 4. No correlationsbetween MT expression and age, sex, tumour size and clinicalstage were appreciable. The highest MT score was foundin liver control tissue; a weakly immunopositivity was encounteredin acinar cells and pancreatic ducts. No immunostainingwas appreciable in normal gallbladder.ConclusionsAn overexpression of MT has been documented in pancreaticand gallbladder neoplastic samples, while in primary andsecondary liver tumours the content of MT appears to be reducedin comparison to normal parenchyma. We cannot excludethat during carcinogenesis of different organs other MTisoforms may appear, undetectable by our antibody. Moreover,the relationship between MT immunoexpression and responsivenessto chemotherapeutics is at the moment underinvestigation.Molecular Alterations in HepatocellularCarcinomas and Preneoplastic HepatocellularLesions using Tissue Microarray TechniqueL. Tornillo 1 , A. Lugli 1 , V. Carafa 1 , M. Roncalli 2 , M. Maggioni3 , A. Manca 4 , G. Massarelli 4 , S. Losito 5 , G. Marino 6 ,R. Vecchione 7 , L. Terracciano 1,71Institutes of Pathology, University of Basel, Schweiz; 2 HumanitasClinical Institute and San Paolo Hospital 3 , Universityof Milan, University of Sassari 4 , National Cancer Center“Pascale” 5 , Naples, Hospital “Cardarelli” 6 , Naples, University“Federico II” 7 Naples, ItalyIntroductionLiver cancerogenesis is a multistep process, but there is noclear boundary between premalignant and malignant lesions.At least three regulatory pathways (RB-1, p53 and Wnt/βcatenin)are involved in hepatocarcinogenesis.AimsMorphological and molecular features of hepatocarcinogenesisare far from being fully elucidated. We have applied thetissue microarray (TMA) technique to investigate the role ofseveral genes expression in hepatocarcinogenesis.MethodsTissues from 280 patients (443 nodules) included 233 HCCs,15 High grade (HG)-DN, 7 Low-grade(LG)-DN, 10 Large regenerativenodules, 8 small cell dysplasias, 11 large cell dysplasias,8 FNHs, 2 adenomas, 13 clonal lesions 119 cirrhosisand 17 normal livers. One sample each was placed in ourTMA. Immunohistochemical analysis included CK7, CK8,CK18, CK19, CK20, CD34, p53, CyclinD1, Cyclin D3, p16,p21, p27, Ki-67, E-cadherin, β-catenin. A FISH analysis forCyclinD1 and c-myc was further performed.ResultsImmunohistochemistry: the number of evaluable punchesranged from 267 (71%) to 317 (85%). E-cadherin and β-catenin were expressed simultaneously (p=0.0009). β-cateninmembrane expression was related to the lesion (90% inHCCs, 53% in cirrhosis, 28% in HG-DN, p