The single case in our series showing a diffuse increase in GS showed a monotonous feature containing hepatocytes without cytomorphological atypia arranged in liver cell plates one or two cells thick. Pseudoglandular and trabecular areas were absent. Additional β-catenin staining of multiple samples of the tumor revealed no nuclear β-catenin expression. Now, 6 years after complete surgical

resection, the patient is doing well. In histologically normal livers, CD34 was expressed only by VECs and a small rim of periportal SECs. In FNH, increased CD34 sinusoidal expression was found, mainly around the central scar and scarlike structures within the nodules in a decreasing gradient pattern from the scar deeper in the nodular parenchyma. In HCA, SECs showed an increase this website in CD34 expression in a variable, nonspecific pattern that was both patchy and diffuse. The expression of α-SMA in histologically normal

livers was limited to vascular walls. In FNH, obvious expression of α-SMA was seen in the stromal tissue of the central scar, in the fibrous septa, and in the periseptal sinusoids. There was a gradient pattern similar to that described for CD34 expression. In HCA, a variable increase in sinusoidal α-SMA expression was noted, and the sinusoidal expression ranged from scant to diffuse. The α-SMA staining also emphasized the presence of

haphazardly distributed single arteries. No specific patterns were observed in CD34 and α-SMA expression in the Y-27632 mw different subtypes of 上海皓元 HCA (not shown). A highly significant increase in gene expression of Ang-1 was observed in FNH versus normal liver samples (P < 0.01) and HCA (P < 0.05). Also in HCA, Ang-1 expression was increased in comparison with normal livers (P < 0.05; Fig. 1). No significant differences in Ang-1 expression were observed in FNH or HCA in comparison with their nonlesional counterpart. The latter samples showed no significant differences from normal livers. Neither in FNH nor in HCA were significant differences in gene expression seen for Ang-2 in comparison with normal liver samples and each other. A comparison of lesional and nonlesional samples showed increased Ang-2 expression in the adjacent liver tissue of FNH, and it was also increased in comparison with normal samples (both P < 0.05). As Ang-1 and Ang-2 both compete for binding to Tie-2, we also calculated the Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio of gene expression levels in the different tissue samples. The mean values and standard deviations of the Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio were 2.27 ± 1.29 for FNH, 0.96 ± 1.09 for HCA, and 0.32 ± 0.25 for normal liver samples.