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Large-Scale Tissue Microarray Evaluation Corroborates High Specificity of High-Level Arginase-1 Immunostaining for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Authors :
Maximilian Lennartz
Eva Gehrig
Sören Weidemann
Natalia Gorbokon
Anne Menz
Franziska Büscheck
Claudia Hube-Magg
Andrea Hinsch
Viktor Reiswich
Doris Höflmayer
Christoph Fraune
Frank Jacobsen
Christian Bernreuther
Patrick Lebok
Guido Sauter
Waldemar Wilczak
Stefan Steurer
Eike Burandt
Andreas H. Marx
Ronald Simon
Till Krech
Till S. Clauditz
Sarah Minner
David Dum
Ria Uhlig
Source :
Diagnostics, Vol 11, Iss 12, p 2351 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

Arginase-1 catalyzes the conversion of arginine to ornithine and urea. Because of its predominant expression in hepatocytes, it serves as a marker for hepatocellular carcinoma, although other tumor entities can also express arginase-1. To comprehensively determine arginase-1 expression in normal and neoplastic tissues, tissue microarrays containing 14,912 samples from 117 different tumor types and 608 samples of 76 different normal tissue types were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. In normal tissues, arginase-1 was expressed in the liver, the granular layer of the epidermis, and in granulocytes. Among tumors, a nuclear and cytoplasmic arginase-1 immunostaining was predominantly observed in hepatocellular carcinoma, where 96% of 49 cancers were at least moderately positive. Although 22 additional tumor categories showed occasional arginase immunostaining, strong staining was exceedingly rare in these entities. Staining of a few tumor cells was observed in squamous cell carcinomas of various sites. Staining typically involved maturing cells with the beginning of keratinization in these tumors and was significantly associated with a low grade in 635 squamous cell carcinomas of various sites (p = 0.003). Teratoma, urothelial carcinoma and pleomorphic adenomas sometimes also showed arginase expression in areas with squamous differentiation. In summary, arginase-1 immunohistochemistry is highly sensitive and specific for hepatocellular carcinoma if weak and focal staining is disregarded.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20754418
Volume :
11
Issue :
12
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Diagnostics
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.42e6666d4334ac49b9198654a4df803
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics11122351