Gastric-Type Expression Signature in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 25; no. 12; p. 6588
• Main Authors: Szodorai, Rita, Banias, Laura, Kovalszky, Ilona, Dezső, Katalin, Kovács, Zsolt, Gurzu, Simona
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 15.06.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - genetics; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Cell adhesion & migration; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition - genetics; epithelial–mesenchymal transition; Female; gastric type; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Health aspects; hepatocellular carcinoma; Hepatoma; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Liver cancer; Liver cirrhosis; Liver Neoplasms - genetics; Liver Neoplasms - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Lung cancer; Male; Medical prognosis; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Mortality; Proteins; Romania; Thyroid gland; Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1 - genetics; Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1 - metabolism; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; TTF-1; Tumors; vimentin; Vimentin - metabolism; VSIG1; Romania; epithelial–mesenchymal transition; vimentin; VSIG1; TTF-1; hepatocellular carcinoma; gastric type
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126588

It is known that V-set and immunoglobulin domain containing 1 (VSIG1) is a cell-cell adhesion molecule that can serve as an indicator of better survival in patients with gastric cancer. Its interaction with cytoplasmic thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) has been hypothesized to characterize gastric-type HCC, but its clinical importance is far from understood. As VSIG1 has also been supposed to be involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenomenon, we checked for the first time in the literature the supposed interaction between VSIG1, TTF-1, and Vimentin (VIM) in HCCs. Immunohistochemical (IHC) stains were performed on 217 paraffin-embedded tissue samples that included tumor cells and normal hepatocytes, which served as positive internal controls. VSIG1 positivity was seen in 113 cases (52.07%). In 71 out of 217 HCCs (32.71%), simultaneous positivity for VSIG1 and TTF-1 was seen, being more specific for G1/G2 carcinomas with a trabecular architecture and a longer OS ( = 0.004). A negative association with VIM was revealed ( < 0.0001). Scirrhous-type HCC proved negative for all three examined markers. The present paper validates the hypothesis of the existence of a gastric-type HCC, which shows a glandular-like architecture and is characterized by double positivity for VSIG1 and TTF-1, vimentin negativity, and a significant OS.