Hepatocellular carcinoma with osteoclast‐like giant cells: Possibility of osteoclastogenesis by hepatocyte‐derived cells

Giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone is a primary osteolytic tumor that is characterized by the formation of osteoclast‐like giant cells. In addition to GCT of bone, extraskeletal GCT are known to be formed in several soft tissues. Giant cells in GCT of bone were suggested to be identical to osteoclasts,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pathology international 2003-07, Vol.53 (7), p.450-456
Main Authors: Ikeda, Tohru, Seki, Sachiko, Maki, Masahiko, Noguchi, Norio, Kawamura, Toru, Arii, Shigeki, Igari, Toru, Koike, Morio, Hirokawa, Katsuiku
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Albumins - metabolism
Biomarkers - analysis
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - secondary
Carcinosarcoma - metabolism
Carcinosarcoma - secondary
Carrier Proteins - genetics
Carrier Proteins - metabolism
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - metabolism
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - pathology
Fatal Outcome
Giant Cells - metabolism
Giant Cells - pathology
Glycoproteins - genetics
Glycoproteins - metabolism
hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocytes - metabolism
Hepatocytes - pathology
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
In Situ Hybridization
Liver Neoplasms - metabolism
Liver Neoplasms - pathology
Male
Membrane Glycoproteins - genetics
Membrane Glycoproteins - metabolism
osteoclastogenesis
Osteoclasts - metabolism
Osteoclasts - pathology
Osteoprotegerin
RANK Ligand
receptor activator of nuclear factor κB
receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand
Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B
Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear - genetics
Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear - metabolism
Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Messenger - metabolism
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Summary:Giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone is a primary osteolytic tumor that is characterized by the formation of osteoclast‐like giant cells. In addition to GCT of bone, extraskeletal GCT are known to be formed in several soft tissues. Giant cells in GCT of bone were suggested to be identical to osteoclasts, but the characterization of giant cells in extraskeletal GCT remains incomplete. In this study, a case of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma with osteoclast‐like giant cells was analyzed. Immunohistochemistry revealed the expression of almost all markers of osteoclasts: tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase, CD68, CD51, CD54 and matrix metalloprotease‐9, in osteoclast‐like giant cells in the tumor. In situ hybridization revealed the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor‐kappa B (RANK) in the giant cells and receptor activator of nuclear factor‐kappa B ligand (RANKL) in the tumor cells. The hepatic origin of the sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma cells was confirmed by the expression of albumin. This is the first report suggesting that hepatocyte‐derived cells possess the potential for osteoclastogenesis. In addition, these findings suggest that osteoclast‐like cells in the hepatocellular carcinoma were formed by the same mechanism as osteoclastogenesis in bone.
ISSN:1320-5463
1440-1827
DOI:10.1046/j.1440-1827.2003.01503.x