Figure 4.

 Semiquantitative analysis of thioredoxin (Trx) immunoreactivity in biliary cell populations at the precancerous and carcinogenic phases of cholangiocarcinogenesis in hamster. (A) Percentage of non‐cancerous biliary cell populations with different grades of Trx immunoreactivity during hamster cholangiocarcinogenesis. (B) Percentage of non‐cancerous biliary cell populations and neoplastic cells with strong Trx immunoreactivity (>2+) at the carcinogenic phase [27 weeks after cholangiocarcinoma (ChC) model initiation]. At the precancerous phase (8 weeks after ChC model initiation), high expression for Trx (>2+) was noted in a limited number of dyplastic bile ducts (DBD) (A). The number of DBD indicating strong Trx expression was significantly increased (A,B) at the carcinogenic phase (27 weeks after ChC model initiation), and most neoplastic cells were strongly positive for Trx (B). A total of 153, 555, and 2502 bile ducts were counted in the hamster livers at normal, precancerous, and carcinogenic phases, respectively. More than 1000 individual neoplastic cells per case were counted in 10 ChC cases. The numbers above the columns in (A) represent the percentages of cells indicated as strongly positive (>2+) for Trx. **Significant difference from hyperplastic bile ducts at P < 0.01; ***significant difference between the groups at P < 0.01. HBD, hyperplastic bile ducts.