Although ubenimex, also known as bestatin, competitively inhibits proteases such as APN/CD13 on the cellular membrane and it is clinically used for patients with acute myeloid leukemia and lymphedema, research has demonstrated that higher concentrations of the agent induce the death of APN/CD13<sup>+</sup> HCC stem cells.
<i>In situ</i> imaging of aminopeptidase N activity in hepatocellular carcinoma: a migration model for tumour using an activatable two-photon NIR fluorescent probe.
Taken together, peritumoral EpCAM and CD13 expression was associated with a poor prognosis, but EpCAM may be a better prognostic marker than CD13 in HBV-related HCC patients.
Our results suggest that increased APN may contribute to HCC at least in part through its activation of AKT signalling and may serve as a prognostic factor in HCC.
The expression patterns of CD13 and CD143 in fetal livers and FNHs were similar to HCCs and were predominantly localized in bile canaliculi (CD13) and endothelial cells (CD143).