Immunohistochemical characterization of cancer-associated fibroblasts at the primary sites and in the metastatic lymph nodes of human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are an important constituent of the cancer stroma. In intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), the features of CAFs at the primary site and in the metastatic lymph nodes (Met-LNs) and their origin have been unclear. In the present study, we characterized CAFs at the primary site (n = 42) and in the Met-LNs (n = 10) of human ICC by immunohistochemistry using potential molecular markers of CAFs, portal fibroblasts (PFs), hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and bone marrow–derived fibrocytes (BMDFs). At the primary site, the stroma was strongly positive for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA; marker for CAFs), platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFR-β) (common marker for HSCs and PFs), fibulin-2, and thymus cell antigen-1 (Thy-1; PF marker), whereas immunoreactivity for fascin (HSC marker) was scarce. Most of the α-SMA–positive cells were found to express PDGFR-β, Thy-1, and fibulin-2 by double immunostaining. A small population of BMDF marker–positive (α-SMA+CD45+CD34+) cells was found by triple immunostaining. In the micro–Met-LNs, α-SMA–positive cells were absent in cancer aggregates of the LN sinus, whereas they were present in the invasion area of cancer cells from the LN sinus to the LN parenchyma. In the macro–Met-LNs, there were abundant α-SMA–positive cells that were also positive for PDGFR-β and Thy-1 but negative for fibulin-2 and fascin. Thus, regarding the expression of molecular markers, CAFs at the primary site of ICC are similar to PFs and different from those of HSCs or CAFs in the Met-LNs. CAFs at the primary sites and in the Met-LN are thought to be derived from PFs/BMDFs and resident cells of LNs, respectively. •Most CAFs at the primary sites more closely resemble PFs than HSCs.•BMDFs may contribute to CAF population at the primary site of ICC.•In the Met-LNs, 3 type morphologies of CAFs were found in the stroma.•The molecular expression pattern of Met-LN-CAFs was different from that of ICC-CAFs.