Investigating The Role Of Fibrocystin/Polyductin In Cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) represents a very devastating liver neoplasm, whose incidence is increasing worldwide. CCA is often diagnosed in its late stages, and the treatment options for this disease are restricted to surgical resection and liver transplantation. Our group demonstrated that fibrocystin/polyductin (FPC) plays a significant role in the development of the bile duct. Furthermore, FPC expression was detected in infantile cholangiopathies as well as in adult CCA. This thesis demonstrates the presence of differential abnormal expression and localization patterns of cell adhesion molecules in the CCA cell lines, which was not associated with FPC expression. Furthermore, this data supports that FPC is an essential growth factor for CCA cells. Although much remains to be elucidated, the data presented in this thesis may represent a step forward for investigating the intracellular mechanisms that underline the development of CCA, hence providing insight into future therapeutic options for CCA.