LAT1 expression in IHCC

Background : Amino acid transporters, such as L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1), have an effect on tumor growth, metastasis, and survival of various solid tumors. However, the role of LAT1 in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) remains unknown. Methods : Forty-six patients who had undergone initial hepatic resection for IHCC at Tokushima University Hospital were enrolled in this study. Immunohistochemical analysis of LAT1 and phosphorylated Akt (p-AKT) was performed using resected specimens. Clinicopathological factors, including prognosis, were analyzed between LAT1-high and LAT1-low groups. Results : The LAT1-high group showed a higher proportion of periductal infiltrating type and higher carcinoembryonic antigen/carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels compared with the LAT1-low group. Multivariate analysis revealed that LAT1-high expression was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival. Furthermore, the proportion of p-AKT positivity was higher in the LAT1-high group than in the LAT1-low group. Conclusions : LAT1 expression was associated with poor prognosis of IHCC and higher p-Akt expression

IMPACT OF LAT3 ON HCC

The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of L‑type amino acid transporter 3 (LAT3) expression on the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 135 patients who had undergone initial hepatic resection for HCC at Tokushima University Hospital (Tokushima, Japan) were enrolled in the present study. Immunohistochemical analysis of LAT3 and phosphorylated AKT (p‑AKT) was performed using resected specimens. Clinicopathological factors, including prognosis, were compared between the LAT3‑high and ‑low expression groups. The results demonstrated that the LAT3‑high group showed significantly higher protein induced by vitamin K absence‑II levels (P=0.01) compared with the LAT3‑low group. The LAT3‑high group showed significantly worse prognosis compared with the LAT3‑low group regarding cancer‑specific survival and disease‑free survival (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that high LAT3 expression and multiple tumors were independent prognostic factors for cancer‑specific survival. Furthermore, the rate of p‑AKT‑positive cases was higher in the LAT3‑high group than in the LAT3‑low group. Overall, these findings suggested that LAT3 expression was associated with poor prognosis of HCC and high p‑AKT expression