Diffuse hepatocellular dysplasia and carcinoma associated with the Mmalton variant of alpha 1-antitrypsin

Abstract

The cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma associated with alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency has been exclusively reported with the PI Z allele. We present a 63-yr-old white man with emphysema, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The latter occurred on a background of diffusely distributed hepatocellular dysplasia. Serum protein electrophoresis suggested a deficiency of alpha 1-antitrypsin quantitated at 13% of normal. PI phenotyping showed that he had only the rare PI Mmalton allele, previously associated only with severe lung disease. Family studies demonstrated the distribution of this rare allele. The liver at autopsy displayed well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma in addition to alpha 1-antitrypsin deposits in normal, dysplastic, and malignant cells.