Immunohistochemical detection of parathyroid hormone-related protein in a rare variant of hepatic neoplasm (sclerosing hepatic carcinoma).

Sclerosing hepatic carcinoma represents an uncommon subtype of hepatic malignancy, frequently associated with hypercalcemia. We applied immunohistochemistry using the avidin-biotin-complex technique to examine the presence of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded sections of tissue from a case of sclerosing hepatic carcinoma obtained at autopsy. Two polyclonal antibodies against the regions 24 to 35 and 107 to 111 of human PTHrP, and a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the human sequence 38 to 64 of this protein, were used. Preabsortion tests using the corresponding synthetic peptide as antigen were done with these antibodies. The neoplastic tissue displayed cytoplasmic immunostaining, diffuse with the antibodies against the amino- or carboxy-terminal regions of PTHrP, and with a predominant peripheral pattern when using the antibody to the midregion of the molecule. Tumor cells positive for PTHrP were also positive for hepatocellular markers cytokeratins 10, 17, and 18, but negative for chromogranin A. Our findings provide the first evidence for PTHrP production in the sclerosing subtype of hepatic carcinoma.