[A study of ricinus communis agglutinin I receptors in liver cancer tissues]

Ricinus communis agglutinin I(RCAI) receptors in 25 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma and 6 cases of intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma were immunohistochemically localized by avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) method. In the meantime, RCAI receptors in normal and cirrhotic liver tissues were also observed as controls. The results showed that there were many irregularly distributed RCAI receptors in HCC in forms of dispersed dots, even or localized lumpy stainings. The receptors in most intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinomas were distributed in a polar form. However, the distribution of RCAI receptors in hepatocytes of normal, cirrhotic and precancerous liver tissues was band-like. It is suggested that the distribution of RCAI receptors in the cells might be helpful to the diagnosis of hepatoma and to the differentiation of benign from malignant hyperplasia.