Origin of hepatocellular carcinoma recurring after allotransplantation revealed by microsatellite analysis

A hepatocellular carcinoma was resected from a liver allotransplant after the patient's original organ had been removed because of a liver carcinoma. DNA analysis was performed to explore the origin of the carcinoma cells. DNA extracted from the carcinoma tissue, from the carcinoma free liver tissue, and from other cells of the recipient underwent polymerase chain reaction amplification for seven microsatellite systems and the X-Y amelogenin system. The allelic pattern from the carcinoma tissue was identical with that from the patient and differed from the DNA profile of the liver tissue. The result confirmed the assumption that the carcinoma tissue had originated from the patient and not from the donor.