Microarrays Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Microarrays, including details on experiments, designs, statistics, analysis, software.

Glypican 3 expression in human nonneoplastic, preneoplastic, and neoplastic tissues: a tissue microarray analysis of 4,387 tissue samples.

Baumhoer D, Tornillo L, Stadlmann S, Roncalli M, Diamantis EK, Terracciano LM

Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

Several studies have shown that glypican 3 (GPC3) could be a useful diagnostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and for differentiating HCC from nonneoplastic and preneoplastic liver disease. To systematically investigate the epidemiology of GPC3 expression in the liver and in other organs and tissues, we used tissue microarray technology comprising 4,387 tissue samples from 139 tumor categories and 36 nonneoplastic and preneoplastic tissue types. The immunohistochemical expression of GPC3 was assessed semiquantitatively using a 10% cutoff score and was detected in 9.2% of nonneoplastic liver samples (11/119), 16% of preneoplastic nodular liver lesions (6/38), and 63.6% of HCCs (140/220), underlining the role of GPC3 in hepatocarcinogenesis. Furthermore, several other tumors revealed consistent expression of GPC3, including squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (27/50 [54%]), testicular nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (32/62 [52%]), and liposarcoma (15/29 [52%]).

Published 15 May 2008 in Am J Clin Pathol, 129(6): 899-906.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2009 Microarrays Research Today. All Rights Reserved.