Rage expression in hcv-related hepatocellular carcinoma; comparison between malignant and perimalignant tissues

Background: The expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) has an impact on the mechanisms giving rise to characteristic features of various cancer cells. We aimed in this study to correlate the scores of RAGE expression with histopathological features of HCV- related hepatocellular carcinoma in malignant and peri-malignant tissue specimens.
Methods: The expression of RAGE was assessed in paired cancer and peri-malignant tissues of HCC, using immunohistochemistry. The expression scores were analyzed in association with the histopathological parameters of hepatitis and HCC.
Results: The expression of RAGE was less in hepatitis than in dysplasia and HCC. Furthermore, in HCC the expression increased initially with increased grade of malignancy and with increased intra-tumorous inflammatory infiltration, however, the score of RAGE expression decreased in high grades of malignancy.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that during the early stage of tumorigenesis with less blood supply HCC may acquire resistance to stringent hypoxic milieu by hypoxia-induced RAGE expression and then decreased. So we can select early cases with dysplasia and low grade malignancy as targets for future therapy.