Antigens, Neoplasm ; analysis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; chemistry ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry

Curcuma kwangsiensis root tuber is a widely used genuine medicinal material in Guangxi, with the main active components of terpenoids and curcumins. It has the effects of promoting blood circulation to relieve pain, moving Qi to relieve depression, clearing heart and cooling blood, promoting gallbladder function and anti-icterus. Modern research has proved its functions in liver protection, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, blood lipid reduction and immunosuppression. Considering the research progress of C. kwangsiensis root tubers and the core concept of quality marker(Q-marker), we predicted the Q-markers of C. kwangsiensis root tubers from plant phylogeny, chemical component specificity, traditional pharmacodynamic properties, new pharmacodynamic uses, chemical component measurability, processing methods, compatibility, and components migrating to blood. Curcumin, curcumol, curcumadiol, curcumenol, curdione, germacrone, and β-elemene may be the possible Q-markers. Based on the predicted Q-markers, the mechanisms of the liver-protecting and anti-tumor activities of C. kwangsiensis root tubers were analyzed. AKT1, IL6, EGFR, and STAT3 were identified as the key targets, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction signaling pathway, nitrogen metabolism pathway, cancer pathway, and hepatitis B pathway were the major involved pathways. This review provides a basis for the quality evaluation and product development of C. kwangsiensis root tubers and gives insights into the research on Chinese medicinal materials.
China ; Curcuma/chemistry* ; Humans ; Liver ; Neoplasms ; Terpenes/pharmacology*

To evaluate the distribution of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) positive cells in various liver diseases, we undertook an immunohistochemical study of liver diseases including chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, intrahepatic cholelithiasis and hepatocellular carcinoma. As a control, fetal livers (gestational age: 22-26 weeks) showed alpha-SMA positive cells along the blood vessels of the portal area, terminal hepatic venules and at perisinusoidal spaces. Perisinusoidal alpha-SMA positive cells were bipolar shaped and had round nuclei. In chronic persistent hepatitis, a few alpha-SMA positive cells were admixed with the inflammatory infiltrates mostly along the intact limiting plate. They were also detected multifocally in a linear pattern along the dilated sinusoid. In chronic active hepatitis, very strong alpha-SMA staining was detected at the site of piecemeal necrosis and adjacent lobules. A-SMA expression was decreased in some cases after interferon treatment. In cases of transplanted liver biopsies, expression of intralobular alpha-SMA was diffusely increased but showed no correlation with degree of acute rejection. Cirrhotic livers revealed strong alpha-SMA positivity in fibrous septae as well as in the perisinusoidal space of intact hepatocytes at the leading edge of fibrosis. Interlobular bile ducts were concentrically circumscribed by alpha-SMA positive cells in cases of intrahepatic cholelithiasis. In trabecular type hepatocellular carcinomas, most sinusoidal lining cells were positive for alpha-SMA. Most intralobular alpha-SMA positive cells represent, if not all, perisinusoidal cells (PSCs) which are involved in intralobular fibrogenesis in various liver diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Actins/*analysis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/chemistry ; Female ; Hepatitis/metabolism ; Humans ; Liver/chemistry ; Liver Cirrhosis/metabolism ; Liver Diseases/*metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms/chemistry ; Pregnancy

Promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) is a major component of PML nuclear bodies (PML NBs). Fusion of promyelocytic leukemia gene (PML) with retinoic acid receptor alpha gene with the t (15;17) translocation causes disassembly of PML NBs, leading to development of acute promyelocytic leukemia. In contrast, PML overexpression as well as different morphological changes of PML NBs were described in a few solid tumors. In this study, the expression of PML through the multistep hepatocarcinogenesis was analyzed in 95 cases of human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) for comparison along with dysplastic nodules (DNs) and background liver cirrhosis (LC) or chronic hepatitis by immunohistochemistry and immunoblot. In addition, cases of HCCs were further evaluated according to their histologic grade and etiology. The amount of PML as well as the num-ber and size of PML NBs increased gradually through the progression from LC, DNs to HCCs. The overexpression of PML in HCCs was much more closely associated with HBV infection than HCV infection or alcoholic liver disease. The PML expression, however, was not correlated with histologic grade of HCCs. These results suggest that PML is involved in the early stage of multistep hepatocarcinogenesis, and HBV infection may be associated with the overexpression of PML and the morphological alteration of PML NBs.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*chemistry/ultrastructure ; Cell Nucleus/*chemistry ; Human ; Liver/chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms/*chemistry/ultrastructure ; Neoplasm Proteins/*analysis ; Precancerous Conditions/*chemistry/ultrastructure ; Transcription Factors/*analysis ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo scrutinize the immunohistochemical spectrum to differentiate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and metastatic adenocarcinoma (MAC) in the liver.

METHODSSeven antibodies including AFP, Hep Par 1, CK18, CK19, CA19-9, CD34 and pCEA were immunohistochemically stained in resected specimens of 300 HCC, 35 ICC and 30 MAC. The specificity and sensitivity of the antibodies were evaluated by comprehensive capability score (CCS), with only those with CCS > or = 8 considered as having highly diagnostic value.

RESULTSAntibodies CCS > or = 8 were observed as Hep Par 1 and CD34 in HCC, and CK19 in ICC, but none in MAC. For HCC, CCS of Hep Par 1 was higher than that of AFP (9 vs. 7) with 83.7% in sensitivity and 96.7% in specificity.

CONCLUSIONFor HCC, Hep Par 1 and CD34 can be used as the first line antibodies, AFP and pCEA as the second line ones. CK19 is the first line antibody for ICC, and CA19-9 as the second. Hep Par 1, CD34 and CK19 are definitely helpful for the routine immunohistochemical stain to differentiate HCC from ICC and MAC.

Adenocarcinoma ; chemistry ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; chemistry ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; chemistry ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Carcinosarcoma ; chemistry ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo access the capability of 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) -based metabonomics in the evaluation of graft function in the perioperation period of liver transplantation.

METHODSPlasma samples of 15 male primary hepatic carcinoma patients were collected for clinical biochemical analysis and 1H NMR spectroscopy 1 day before operation, 1 day and 1 week after the operation. The NMR data were analyzed using principal component analysis.

RESULTSMetabonomic analysis indicated that, compared with those before operation, blood concentrations of valine, alanine, acetone, succinic acid, glutamine, choline, lactate, and glucose increased significantly 1 day after transplantation. One week later, the levels of lipids and choline increased notably, while those of glucose and amino acids decreased. Principal component analysis showed significant difference between metabolic profiles of plasma samples of variant periods of liver transplantation, due to the variation of the levels of glucose, lipids, lactate, and choline. A good agreement was observed between clinical chemistry and metabonomic data.

CONCLUSIONSMetabonomic analysis can clearly identify the difference between the plasma samples of primary hepatic carcinoma patients at different time during the perioperation period of liver transplantation. It therefore may be a promising new technology in predicting the outcomes of liver transplantation.

Acetone ; blood ; chemistry ; Alanine ; blood ; chemistry ; Biomarkers ; blood ; chemistry ; Blood Glucose ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Carcinoma ; blood ; chemistry ; surgery ; Choline ; blood ; chemistry ; Glutamine ; blood ; chemistry ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; blood ; chemistry ; Liver ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood ; chemistry ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; physiology ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Metabolome ; Succinic Acid ; blood ; chemistry ; Treatment Outcome ; Valine ; blood ; chemistry

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; chemistry ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver ; chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; analysis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors ; analysis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of glucose-regulated protin 78 (GRP78) and glucose-regulated protin 94 (GRP94) in the liver tissues from children with hepatoblastoma (HB) and to investigate the possible clinicopathological values of GRP78 and GRP94 in HB.

METHODSLiver tissue specimens from 15 children with HB and 10 specimens of normal liver tissues were obtained. EnVison immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of GRP78 and GRP94 in the conventional paraffin-embedded liver sections.

RESULTSThe positive rates of GRP78 expression (53% vs 10%; P<0.05) and GRP94 expression (60% vs 10%; P<0.05) in HB liver tissues were significantly higher than those in the normal liver tissues. The positive rates of GRP78 expression in the cases without lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage I-II were significantly lower than those in the cases with lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage III-IV (P<0.05). GRP94 showed a decreased tendency of positive expression in the cases without lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage I-II when compared with the cases with lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage III-IV, although there were no statistical differences between them.

CONCLUSIONSGRP78 and GRP94 expression might play important roles in the pathogenesis and progression of pediatric HB.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; analysis ; Hepatoblastoma ; chemistry ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Liver ; chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; analysis ; Neoplasm Staging

The bioactive protein-phycocyanin and all the proteins of Spirulina Platensis were isolated and purified. Photo-reactive proteins were synthesized by coupling the proteins with (N-(4-azidobenzoyloxy)succinimide) and were spread onto the 24-well cell culture polystyrene plate. Then the coated surface was exposed to ultraviolet irradiation for chemical fixation of proteins via the conversion of the phenylazido group to the highly reactive phenyl-nitrene which spontaneously formed covalent bonds with neighboring hydrocarbons. On these proteins-immobilized polystyrene plates, the liver cancer cells 7402 were cultured under the serum-free conditions, and the inhibition activity on proliferation of liver cancer cells was investigated and analyzed.
Animals ; Bacterial Proteins ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Biocompatible Materials ; pharmacology ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cyanobacteria ; chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Photochemistry ; Polystyrenes ; chemistry ; Spirulina ; Succinimides ; chemistry ; Tumor Cells, Cultured