Measurement of transporter associated with antigen processing 1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha expression in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma and peritumor cirrhosis tissues using tissue chip technology.

Background/aims: The objective of this study was to explore the associations of expression of transporter associated with antigen processing 1 (TAP1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α with the occurrence and development of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methodology: The expression of TAP1 and TNF-α in 38 HCC, 32 peritumor liver cirrhosis and 28 normal liver tissues, were assessed by immunohistochemical assay using tissue microarray technology.

Results: TAP1 and TNF-α were negative in normal liver tissue hut positive in HCC and peritumor cirrhosis tissue. There were no significant differences in the rates of positivity for TAP1 and TNF-α between HCC and peritumor cirrhosis tissue (p>0.05), but there was a significant difference when rates in HCC and peritumor cirrhosis tissue were compared with those in normal liver tissue (p<0.0001, p<0.01, respectively). The degree of differentiation of HCC was correlated with TNF-α expression (p<0.05), but not TAP1 expression (p>0.05), CONCLUSIONS: Major histocompatibility complex class I molecules are involved in HBV-related HCC. TNF-α plays an important role in liver cirrhosis and in formation and development of HCC following HBV infection. TNF-α can be used as an indicator of the degree of differentiation of HCC.