Translational research for elucidating the clinicopathological characteristics of non-viral hepatocellular carcinoma

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K16350
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 55020:Digestive surgery-related
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Kato Hiroyuki 三重大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (50737004)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 肝細胞癌 / 細胞外マトリックス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We newly showed the association between the preoperative serum hyaluronic acid level and prognosis of resected patients with non-viral HCC. Despite the fact that the level of serum hyaluronic acid level is well-known marker of hepatic fibrosis, its higher level might be associated with the tumor fibrosis and poor differentiation in the non-viral HCC since background of the liver is mostly normal in such patients. Based on the results obtained, we conjectured that there might be significant association between the prognosis of non-viral HCC patients and tumor fibrosis represented by the extracellular matrix including MMP-2 and MMP-9. Our data support the future development of new treatment targeting the key-extracellular matrix.

Free Research Field

肝胆膵外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ヒアルロン酸は肝線維化マーカーであるが、背景肝が正常で肝線維化が起こりにくい非ウイルス性肝癌では腫瘍の繊維性間質の量を反映している可能性がある。本研究にて非ウイルス性肝癌における線維性間質の量と予後、細胞外マトリックスであるMMP-2、MMP-9発現との関係性が示唆され、今後これらをターゲットとした治療や診断の進歩が期待される。