The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine

eorgia Veterinary Scholars Program

GVSP Summer 2008 Scholars

Georgia Veterinary Scholar	Faculty Mentor

Stefanie Taylor University of Tuskegee Class of 2010	Dr. Elizabeth Howerth

Differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma from other canine liver nodules using glypican-3

Taylor, Stefanie*. Howerth, Elizabeth; University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine Athens, Georgia

Canine hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often hard to diagnose, due to its similarity to other nodular conditions affecting the liver, such as nodular hyperplasia, regenerative nodules, hepatocellular adenoma, and other metastatic tumors. Furthermore, this difficulty is enhanced when small biopsy samples are
submitted. We hypothesize that these conditions can be distinguished by using immunohistochemistry and a highly specific antibody to hepatocellular carcinoma, Glypican-3(GPC3), based on work done in humans. Our
objective is to evaluate cross reactivity of this antibody in dogs to see if it can be used to distinguish HCC from nodular hyperplasia and regenerative nodules. We also are evaluating the specificity of GPC3 by testing the antibody on normal liver and liver with cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC). Ten cases of HCC, 10 of nodular
hyperplasia, 10 of regenerative nodules, 7 of normal liver, and 3 of CCC were identified from necropsy and biopsy material obtained from the University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine. They were evaluated
utilizing a rabbit, polyclonal antibody to Glypican-3(AVIVA Systems Biology, San Diego, CA) and a streptavidin-biotin peroxidase linked technique with DAB or strept-avidin-biotin alkaline phosphatase linked technique with fast red. Antigen retrieval was done using EDTA pH 8. Sections were examined microscopically for GPC3 expression. To date, 5/5 HCC and 5/5 regenerative nodules stained positive for GPC3 and 3/3 hyperplastic nodules were negative. Immunohistochemistry for GPC3 appears useful for distinguishing HCC from nodular hyperplasia, but not regenerative nodules.

Student Support: Merk-Merial