Comparative developmental and phenotypic properties of altered hepatocyte foci and hepatic tumors in rats.

Previous investigations in this laboratory have provided evidence that histochemically detectable altered hepatocyte foci and hepatic tumors appearing in rats given a single neonatal treatment with a low dose of carcinogen followed by chronic dietary phenobarbital administration are developmentally independent. The present investigation further evaluates developmental relationships among these lesions. Altered hepatocyte foci were divided into two subclasses consisting of foci that were detectable by histochemical as well as by hematoxylin-eosin staining [designated hist(+)/morph(+) foci] and those foci that were detectable solely by histochemical staining [designated hist(+)/morph(-) foci].

Effects of separate and combined treatments with gamma radiation and diethylnitrosamine in neonatal rats on the induction of altered hepatocyte foci and hepatic tumors.

To characterize the effects of combined treatments with gamma radiation and diethylnitrosamine (DEN) on the induction of histochemically detectable altered hepatocyte foci and hepatic tumors, we assessed the yields of these lesions in the livers of 150-day-old rats that had been treated neonatally with a single dose of gamma radiation (75 rad, whole body) and i.p.-injected DEN (0.

Effects of rat strain, diet composition, and phenobarbital on hepatic gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase histochemistry and on the induction of altered hepatocyte foci and hepatic tumors by diethylnitrosamine.

To extend our ongoing characterization of modulatory influences on hepatic tumorigenesis, we examined effects of rat strain (Sprague-Dawley versus Fischer), diet composition (semipurified diet versus standard nonpurified laboratory chow), and dietary phenobarbital on the production of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)-positive hepatocyte foci and hepatic tumors initiated by diethylnitrosamine. In addition to GGT-positive foci, we observed, under certain conditions, the appearance of extensive hepatic GGT staining not associated with focal lesions. This elevated nonfocal GGT was found in rats of both strains fed the nonpurified rather than the purified diet, but the level of staining was higher in Fischer than in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Characterization of histochemically detectable altered hepatocyte foci and their relationship to hepatic tumorigenesis in rats treated once with diethylnitrosamine or benzo(a)pyrene within one day after birth.

A new experimental system was used to examine the stages of chemically induced hepatic neoplasia in the rat. The treatment protocol involved the i.p.

Relationship of histochemically detectable altered hepatocyte foci to hepatic tumorigenesis.

A new experimental system was used to examine the stages of chemically induced hepatic neoplasia in the rat. The treatment protocol involved the intraperitoneal injection of a single non-necrogenic dose of carcinogen [N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) or benzo[a]pyrene (BP)] into male and female rats within one day after birth, followed by dietary exposure to promoter (0.05% phenobarbital) from weaning.