Fusion DNAJB1::PRKACA in Non-Fibrolamellar Cancer Cases. Reply to Arif et al. Global Re-Analysis Confirms Absence of the DNAJB1::PRKACA Fusion in Hepatoblastoma. Comment on “Fleifil et al. DNAJB1-PKAc Kinase Is Expressed in Young Patients with Pediat

Arif and colleagues commented on our paper Fleifil et al. "DNAJB1-PKAc is expressed in Young Patients with Pediatric Liver Cancers and Enhances Carcinogenic Pathways" published in Cancers in 2024. In our paper, we examined expression of <i>DNAJB1::PRKACA</i> (DNAJB1-PKAc or J-PKAc) in the Bio Bank of HBL (Hepatoblastoma) and HCN-NOS (Hepatocellular Malignant Neoplasm, Not Otherwise Specified) tissue samples collected at CCHMC during the last five years. Our data demonstrated that <i>DNAJB1::PRKACA</i> was detected in approximately 70% of HBL/HCN-NOS patients, with varying expression levels. In the commentary, the authors reviewed their earlier data and found no evidence of the fusion DNAJB1-PKAc expression within their cohorts of HBL specimens. Based on these data, the authors stated that "…<i>DNAJB1::PRKACA</i> remains specific to fibrolamellar carcinoma among liver tumors and caution against its use as a diagnostic marker for hepatoblastoma without rigorous validation in external cohorts." After reviewing the commentary, we are offering a response outlined below.

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Publication Details

Journal
Cancers
Published
2026-03-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18060918
Primary Topic
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Fusion DNAJB1::PRKACA in Non-Fibrolamellar Cancer Cases. Reply to Arif et al. Global Re-Analysis Confirms Absence of the DNAJB1::PRKACA Fusion in Hepatoblastoma. Comment on “Fleifil et al. DNAJB1-PKAc Kinase Is Expressed in Young Patients with Pediat

Alexander Gerhard Miethke, Yasmeen Fleifil, Rebekah Karns, Ruhi Gulati et al.
Cancers
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis
article

Fusion DNAJB1::PRKACA in Non-Fibrolamellar Cancer Cases. Reply to Arif et al. Global Re-Analysis Confirms Absence of the DNAJB1::PRKACA Fusion in Hepatoblastoma. Comment on “Fleifil et al. DNAJB1-PKAc Kinase Is Expressed in Young Patients with Pediat

Alexander Gerhard Miethke, Yasmeen Fleifil, Rebekah Karns, Ruhi Gulati, Nikolai A. Timchenko, Lubov Timchenko, Gregory Tiao, Katherine Jennings, Alexander Bondoc
article en

Abstract

Arif and colleagues commented on our paper Fleifil et al. "DNAJB1-PKAc is expressed in Young Patients with Pediatric Liver Cancers and Enhances Carcinogenic Pathways" published in Cancers in 2024. In our paper, we examined expression of <i>DNAJB1::PRKACA</i> (DNAJB1-PKAc or J-PKAc) in the Bio Bank of HBL (Hepatoblastoma) and HCN-NOS (Hepatocellular Malignant Neoplasm, Not Otherwise Specified) tissue samples collected at CCHMC during the last five years. Our data demonstrated that <i>DNAJB1::PRKACA</i> was detected in approximately 70% of HBL/HCN-NOS patients, with varying expression levels. In the commentary, the authors reviewed their earlier data and found no evidence of the fusion DNAJB1-PKAc expression within their cohorts of HBL specimens. Based on these data, the authors stated that "…<i>DNAJB1::PRKACA</i> remains specific to fibrolamellar carcinoma among liver tumors and caution against its use as a diagnostic marker for hepatoblastoma without rigorous validation in external cohorts." After reviewing the commentary, we are offering a response outlined below.

CancersVol. 18(6)
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (US), University of Cincinnati Medical Center (US)
National Institutes of Health
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 28%
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis
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