GPC-3 and AXL are essential factors and therapeutic targets for hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the expression of Glypican-3(GPC-3) and AXL in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Methods A total of 140 patients diagnosed with HCC were included in this study. All patients had undergone radical surgery and had complete clinical information. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of HCC from these patients were collected, and the expression levels of GPC-3 and AXL were detected by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Results Immunohistochemical analysis showed that GPC-3 and AXL were diffusely expressed in HCCs. The positive expression rate of GPC-3 was 77.1% (108/140) and that of AXL was 85.7% (120/140). Additionally, the proportion of cases with positive expression for either GPC-3 or AXL is 93.6%. Conclusions The findings of this study confirm that both GPC-3 and AXL are highly expressed in HCCs tissues, and the high co-expression rate supports the development of dual-target chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy for HCC treatment.