Phosphorylase: a new isozyme in rat hepatic tumors and fetal liver.

A third set of phosphorylase a and b isozymes, distinguishable kinetically and immunologically from liver and muscle forms, is present in various rat hepatomas, and is also present, together with the adult liver form, in fetal rat liver. This is one of several striking examples of suppression of isozymes of adult liver coupled with the appearance of fetal isozymes in hepatomas.

Mitochondrial polyriboadenylate polymerase: relative lack of activity in hepatomas.

An enzyme that polymerizes adenylate residues from adenosine triphosphate was prepared from rat liver mitochondria and compared to similar preparations from the mitochondria of three hepatomas. Enzyme activity in the hepatomas was only 1 to 2 percent of that in normal liver.

Loss of the cholesterol feedback system in the intact hepatoma-bearing rat.

By means of the desmosterol suppression technique described in the previous paper, the influence of hepatomas on sterol metabolism has been studied in the intact rat. The major finding of this study is that all hepatoma-bearing rats demonstrate a consistent in vivo loss of the cholesterol feedback system that is characteristic of normal liver. The results also demonstrate that such tumors retain only minor amounts of the sterol they synthesize, releasing over 90% of such endogenous sterol into the circulation. Finally, the in vivo loss of cholesterol feedback control was found to occur in at least two minimal deviation hepatomas and in one highly malignant adenocarcinoma of hepatic origin. These findings indicate that even tumors that are capable of only very limited cholesterol synthesis in vitro, can contribute significant quantities of sterol to the bloodstream. It is concluded that as a result of their lack of normal cholesterol feedback control, hepatomas may represent a physiologically important source of sterols in the tumor-bearing animal, and that the absence of feedback control of sterol synthesis may provide a means of detecting the presence of such tumors in the intact animal.

Ultrastructure of a mammosomatotrophic and a nonfunctional transplantable pituitary tumor induced in rats by 2,4,6-trimethylaniline.

A pituitary tumor was induced in a female inbred BUF rat on an 18-month diet containing 1.1 mmole 2,4,6-trimethylaniline/kg. In the sixth transfer, this tumor developed into two lines of transplantable tumors with different characteristics. Here these two lines were studied by light and electron microscopy; histologically, both tumors were well-differentiated pituitary carcinomas. In the ultrathin sections, the neoplastic cells were separated by a wide intercellular space and covered by numerous microvilli. In the mammosomatotrophic tumor (7315a) the neoplastic cells contained big, electron-dense, ovoid or globular secretory granules (560-1,700 nm in size) that were similar to the prolactin granules of mammotrophs. However, in these cells were also small, pale, uniform, secretory granules that were along the plasma membrane, measured 160 nm in diameter, and resembled the ACTH-containing granules of corticotrophs. The neoplastic cells in tumor line 7315i possessed secretory granules comparable to the granules of the ACTH-secreting cells. The differentiation of the ergastoplasm was abnormal. The tumor cells contained an endoplasmic reticulum similar to mammotrophs and somatotrophs but dissimilar to ACTH-secreting cells. These investigations suggested that the production of several hormones in transplantable pituitary tumors resulted from the multisecretory differentiation of one neoplastic pituitary cell.

Chromosome banding patterns of two transplantable pituitary tumors induced in rats by 2,4,6-trimethylaniline.

The chromosomal constitution of a mammosomatotrophic and an inactive transplantable pituitary tumor induced in rats by 2,4,6-trimethylaniline was studied by the Giemsa-banding techniques. The inactive tumor line 7315i evolved from the active tumor line 7315a in one of the early transfers. A comparison was also made with chromosomal patterns of a transplantable rat hepatoma (7316A) induced by the same chemical carcinogen. Pituitary tumor line 7315a had a pseudotriploid complement with 63 chromosomes, whereas the inactive line 7315i was hypodiploid, with a dominant stemline of 36 chromosomes. The stemline chromosome number of the hepatoma was in the hypotetraploid region. Giemsa banding revealed that all chromosomes of the normal rat complement were present in both pituitary tumors. Four abnormal chromosomes were detected in the active tumor line and three in the inactive line. Both tumor lines contained a single minute chromosome. One common marker, a deleted chromosome No.1, was found in both pituitary tumors. This common marker chromosome was, however, not present in the hepatoma. The stemline karyotype of the hepatoma contained seven different markers, but none of them was identical to the abnormal chromosomes of the pituitary neoplasms. The findings suggested that the abnormal karyotypes of lines 7315a and 7315i could reflect the multisecretory activities of these neoplastic pituitary cells but that chromosomal localization of the secretory defect awaits exact genetic mapping of the rat chromosomes.

Hormonal induction of tyrosine aminotransferase activity in host liver and hepatoma no. 7777 of normal and cofactor-depleted animals.

Induction of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) (EC 2.6.1.5) by hydrocortisone was studied during cofactor (pyridoxal phosphate) depletion in hepatoma-bearing BUF strain female rats. Pairs of rats were matched for weight and age and one from each pair was fed ad libitum a diet lacking pyridoxine; the other (referred to as "pair-fed") was given the same diet supplemented with the vitamin, with the amount restricted to that consumed by the matched animal on the deficient diet. All animals were inoculated with Morris hepatoma no. 7777 cell after 21 days on the respective diets. TAT specific activity was determined weekly in host liver and hepatoma, in the presence and absence of cofactor, before and after the administration of hydrocortisone. Free and bound pyridoxal phosphate was estimated enzymatically. The average weight of hepatomas from pair-fed animals was 1.5-fold to twofold greater than that of hepatomas from animals on deficient diets. TAT activity of hepatomas was two times greater than that of host liver, and lack of dietary pyridoxine was without effect. Hormonal induction of enzymatic activity was maximal after the first week of tumor growth and subsequently reached minimal values. In pair-fed animals, tumor TAT was approximately 60% saturated with cofactor. In vitamin-deficient animals, only 6% of the tumor enzyme was saturated with the cofactor. The percent saturation of host liver TAT varied, with minimal values found in the vitamin-deficient animals. Hepatic and tumor pyridoxal phosphate content of pair-fed animals was unusually high (10 mug/g); in vitamin-deficient animals, only the coenzyme content of hepatomas was high (7.0 mug/g). The results showed that presence of the tumor altered the a) specific activity level of TAT and tissue content of cofactor, b) pattern of hormonal induction of the enzyme, and c) effects of the absence of dietary pyridoxine on TAT induction observed in animals without tumors.

Response of microbodies in Morris hepatoma 9618A to clofibrate.

Regulation of the formation of microbodies in Morris hepatoma 9618A was studied by examination of the response of the organelles to clofibrate. The fine structures of microbodies in the hepatoma cells closely resembled those in hepatocytes of normal adult rats. In clofibrate-treated rats, the tumor cells showed a slight increase in the size of microbodies and in catalase activity; however, the tumor microbodies did not increase in number. In contrast, in adult clofibrate-treated rats and rats on the day of birth whose mothers received clofibrate during the gestation period, the hepatocytes showed microbodies that were greater in both number and size, and the catalase activity in the liver was definitely elevated.

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of cancer. VI. Relationship among spin-lattice relaxation times, growth rate, and water content of Morris hepatomas.

Relaxation time(s) (T1), growth rates, and the water content of six Morris hepatomas, several murine tumors, and a selection of normal tissues indicated that malignant tumors did not always exhibit longer T1 values than any normal tissue, as previously suspected. This overlap raised the possibility of confusion between normal and malignant tissues studied by this method. Tissue T1 values depended primarily on the hydration of the tissue and correlated well with water content determinations. A rough correlation of T1 and water content with tumor growth rate was also observed.

Chromosome banding patterns and breakpoints of three transplantable hepatomas induced in rats by aromatic amines.

The chromosome constitution of transplantable hepatomas H-35tc1, 7316A, and 8994 induced in ACI male, BUF female, and BUF male rats, respectively, by monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic amines was studied by Giemsa banding techniques. Hepatoma H-35tc1 was hyperdiploid, with a dominant stemline of 46 chromosomes. The stemline of the heterogeneous 7316A was in the hypotetraploid region (75-8,). Hepatoma 8994 had a near-triploid complement; most metaphase cells and chromosome numbers from 62 to 68. Thirty marker chromosomes were detected. Nineteen rearanged chromosomes were in hepatoma 8994, whereas only 8-10 markers could be found in the 80 +/- 3 chromosome complement of hepatoma 7316A. Two constant common markers were noted: mar2, a chromosome No. 11 with translocation short arm in H-35tc1 and 8994, and mar10 (mar10a), a chromosome No. 1 with a duplicated segment at breakpoint q54 in hepatomas 7316A and 8994. An analysis of the distribution of 232 breakpoints in the rat karyotype, 26 identified in the hepatomas and 206 collected from the literature, revealed a statistically significant excess of breaks in chromosomes No. 1, 2, 3, and 10 (P less than 0.001). The X- and Y-chromosomes showed a considerably lower number of breaks than anticipated (P less than 0.01). Even after a history of continuous transplantation for 10 years, these 3 hepatomas retained intact sex chromosomes that corresponded to the phenotype of the primary host. Preservation of the sex chromosomes in the hepatomas may be attributed to a lower susceptibility of the sex chromosomes than of the autosomes to breakage.

Glutathione and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase in rat liver during chemical carcinogenesis.

Continued administration of several hepatocarcinogens led to an increase in the concentration of glutathione (GSH) in the livers of intact, but not of hypophysectomized or adrenalectomized rats. The concentration of GSH remained high untill the development of hyperplastic nodules. Subsequently, the concentration of GSH dropped to the normal level or below. A single dose of 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB) produced an increase of GSH which, within a certain range, depended upon the amount of the carcinogen. In well differentiated, slowly growing hepatomas, the concentration of GSH approached the level in normal adult rat liver. On the other hand, in nondifferentiated and rapidly growing hepatomas, GSH was only 30-40% of that in normal liver. The activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GTase) increased within 24-48 hours after a single large dose of 3'-Me-DAB. Continued feeding of 3'-Me-DAB led to an exponential increase of GTase. During hepatocarcinogenesis, the level of GTase activity corresponded to the degree and size of pathologic changes produced in rat liver. Chloramphenicol partially inhibited the increase of GTase induced by 2-acetylaminofluorene. Pretreatment with 3-methylcholanthrene partially inhibited the increase of GTase that had been induced by a single dose of 3'-Me-DAB. Puromycin partially inhibited the increase of GTase induced by several doses of dimethylnitrosamine. These observations indicated a close connection between the activation of GTase and chemical carcinogenesis in rat liver. Measurements of GTase activity in 12 Morris hepatomas supported this conclusion; their GTase levels were greatly elevated compared with that in normal adult rat liver.

Depressed growth of Morris hepatomas in altitude- and heat-stressed but not in cold-stressed buffalo rats.

Female inbred BUF rats bearing Morris hepatomas 5123C, 5123D, 7795, and 7800 bilaterally in the femoral musculature were exposed for 3 weeks to ether 4,500-m simulated altitude or sea level or to an ambient temperature of either 7, 23, or 33 degrees C. Rats were given inoculations 12 days before these exposures. Tumor size, body weight, food consumption, and body temperatures were measured weekly in these treated rats and in normal rats. At time of killing, tumor mass, DNA synthesis (by [3H]thymidine incorporation), and respiration (by conversion of [1,4-14C]succinic acid to 14CO2) were measured in each of the 4 hepatoma lines, in the livers of normal and host rats, and in regenerated livers 10 days post 70% hepatectomy. Growths of all 4 tumors and regenerated livers were significantly impaired in rats stressed by exposure to altitude and heat but not to cold. Neither DNA synthesis nor respiration was altered in the hepatomas and livers by any environmental stress. The environmentally stressed rats gained weight at a slower rate and consumed less food than did their controls, but no differences were found in these variables for tumor-bearing and non-tumor-bearing rats. However, whereas the ratio of body weight gain to food consumed was reduced under the three stressful environments, that of tumor weight gain to food consumed was not altered by any environment. Host survivorship was not influenced by any of these effects.

Regulation of the adenylate cyclase system in transplantable hepatomas.

Adenylate cyclase systems were examined in purified membrane preparations from normal rat liver and several Morris hepatomas with differing growth rates. All tumor membrane preparations had lower relative specific activities than did liver preparations. Liver adenylate cyclase was stimulated by fluoride, glucagon and guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate [Gpp(NH)p]. Membranes from two slow-growing hepatomas (hepatomas 20 and 21) contained adenylate cyclase activities which are also stimulated by each of these three modulators. Membrane adenylate cyclases from several fast-growing hepatomas (hepatomas 3924A, 7777, 5123tc, and 9618A2) were marginally stimulated by glucagon but were readily stimulated by fluoride and Gpp(NH)p. Examination of the highly specific binding of 125I-glucagon to the various membrane preparations revealed much less binding in all the tumor membranes than in liver membranes. More detailed kinetic examination of membranes prepared from liver, slow-growing hepatoma 21 (which had reasonable binding to and stimulation by glucagon), and fast-growing hepatoma 3924A (which had marginal binding to and stimulation by glucagon) revealed major differences in rates of cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate production in the absence and presence of glucagon, Gpp(NH)p, and glucagon plus Gpp(NH)p and in the combined alteration of magnesium:adenosine 5'-triphosphate ratio and temperatures. The different kinetic characteristics in the hepatoma adenylate cyclase systems may be due to different structural characteristics of the tumor membranes or may be due to altered hormonal receptors, catalytic units, or receptor-catalytic unit interrelationships within the tumor membrane.

Effects of dietary vitamin B6 on the in vitro inactivation of rat tyrosine aminotransferase in host liver and Morris hepatomas.

Control rats or rats bearing Morris hepatoma 5123C (intact), 5123C (adrenalectomized), 7794A, 7800, 8999, 9121, or 9618A were fed a purified diet either deficient or adequate for vitamin B6. The concentration of pyridoxal phosphate in the plasma, host livers, and hepatomas was determined, as well as the in vitro rate of inactivation of induced tyrosine aminotransferase in homogenates of host livers and hepatomas. The results demonstrated the presence of a cysteine-independent inactivating system for tyrosine aminotransferase in hepatomas 5123C (adrenalectomized), 7800, 8999, and 9121. Only in hepatoma 9121 was there a dramatic influence of the dietary vitamin B6 on the rate of cysteine-independent inactivation. A cysteine-dependent inactivating system for the enzyme was present in all host livers and hepatomas. The rate of this in vitro inactivation for both host livers and hepatomas apparently was a function of the concentration of pyridoxal phosphate, but inactivation of tyrosine aminotransferase occurred at a significantly lower concentration of pyridoxal phosphate in the hepatomas than in the host livers.

Subcellular localization of acetoacetate coenzyme A transferase in rat hepatomas.

Succinyl coenzyme A:acetoacetate coenzyme transferase (EC 2.8.3.5), an initiator of ketone body usage and absent in normal liver, has been shown to be located in mitochondria from Morris hepatoma 7288ctc using differential and density gradient centrifugation. Furthermore, tumor mitochondrial subfractionation revealed that this transferase is associated with the matrix-soluble proteins. Comparison of the amounts of total transferase activity in several other hepatomas with the amounts found in the corresponding isolated mitochondria suggests that the results with the 7288ctc tumor pertain generally. The mitochondrial localization of coenzyme A transferase indicates the probable use of ketone bodies as energy sources for the hepatomas.

Imbalance of purine metabolism in hepatomas of different growth rates as expressed in behavior of xanthine oxidase (EC 1.2.3.2).

The behavior of the rate-limiting enzyme of purine catabolism, xanthine oxidase (EC 1.2.3.2); was examined in normal liver, in 17 hepatomas of different growth rates, and in rapidly growing differentiating and regenerating liver. Xanthine oxidase activity was measured in the supernatant fluid prepared by centrifugation of 5% homogenates at 100,000 X g for 30 min. There was no uricase activity in the supernatant fluid. The affinity of xanthine oxidase to xanthine was similar in normal liver and in slow- and rapidly growing hepatomas (Km=6 to 8 muM), and theoptimum pH was 8.0; at pH 7.4, the activity was 80% of that at the pH optimum. A standard assay was worked out for the liver and hepatoma systems; the enzyme activity was linear during 60-min incubation and proportionate with amounts of protein added over a range of 0.5 to 3.0 mg. Xanthine oxidase specific activity was 9 times higher in small intestine than in liver. Activities in lung, spleen, kidney, heart, testes, and thymus were 67, 59, 21, 19, 8, and 8%, and in skeletal muscle, brain, and bone marrow activities were 5% of that of the liver. In regenerating liver, xanthine oxidase activity was not changed from that of the liver of sham-operated controls up to 96 hr after operation. The activity of the average differentiating liver cell was less than 5% of that of adult liver during the first week after birth. At postnatal ages of 18, 25, 30 and 40 days, the activity rose to 18, 46, 76, and 94%, respectively, of that of the adult liver. In starvation, hepatic xanthine oxidase activity per cell was preferentially depleted as compared to the decline in protein concentration. Upon refeeding, the enzymatic activity was restored more slowly than the protein content. Since xanthine oxidase activity was decreased in all examined hepatomas, including the slowest-growing, well-differentiated neoplasms, the altered activity of this enzyme appears to be.linked with neoplastic transformatiobosyl 1-pyrophosphate amidotransferase (EC 2.4.2.14), was increassed in the hepatomas, the reprogramming of gene expression results in an imbalance that favors the synthetic over the catabolic potential. This enzymatic imbalance should confer selective advantages to the cancer cells.

Mitochondrial and microsomal phospholipids of Morris hepatoma 7777.

The phospholipids of both mitochondrial and microsomal membranes from normal liver, host liver, and Morris hepatoma 7777 were isolated, separated, and quantitated. The total as well as the individual fatty acid concentrations and compositions were determined. The total phosphlipids isolated from tumor mitochondria were idly altered, compared with mitochondria from other normal or host liver. The polyenoic acids were decreased, and there was a concomitant increase in the monoenes. When the respiratory control was determined, the tumor mitochondria exhibited a significant decrease in this parameter. The tumor microsomal membrane fraction, on the other hand, contained about 50% less phospholipid than the controls. The fatty acid patterns of the total as well as the individual phospholipids were quite similar to those observed in the mitochondria. The species of phosphatidylcholine from both membrane fractions were separated by argentation chromatography of the intact molecules, and, as predicted by the fatty acid compositions, the major species of the tumor was the monoenoic/dienoic fraction. The acyl coenzyme A:1-acyl glycerophosphorylcholine acyltransferases, which aid in controlling the fatty acid composition of phospholipids, were measured. The very marked increase in activity of these enzymes toward polyenoic as well as monoenic fatty acids suggested that the polyenoic acids were not available for use in the resynthesis of the phosphatidylcholines in the tumor.

Metabolism of estrogens in hepatomas of different growth rates.

The activity of estrogen 16alpha-hydroxylase was measured for nine Morris hepatomas of different growth rates and host livers. Activity was measured in the microsomal fraction of the cell (100,000 X g). In the spectrum of hepatomas studied, 16alpha-hydroxylase activity was significantly decreased in parallel with the increase in hepatoma growth rate. The decrease in enzymic activity ranged from 16 to 19% for the slow-growing tumors (Hepatomas 44, 28A, and 9633), 2 to 9% for the intermediate-growing tumors (Hepatomas 38B, 7795, and 5123A), and 0% for the fast-growing tumors (Hepatomas 7288C, 7777, and 42A). Estrogen 16alpha-hydroxylase activity of the liver of tumor-bearing rats differed from that of liver of healthy animals. There was a decrease in enzymic activity ranging from 66% to 90% of normal control rats. The activity level of the host liver did not correlate with tumor growth rate. Stimulation of 16alpha-hydroxylase with phenobarbital showed a 4-fold increase in activity in normal liver and only a 2- to 3-fold increase in host livers. The slow- and intermediate-growing hepatomas showed a 1.2-to 1.4-fold increase in enzyme activity, and no activity or stimulation in the fast-growing hepatomas was observed.

Membranous effects on adenosine triphosphatase activities of mitochondria from rat liver and Morris hepatoma 3924A.

Adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities of sonically prepared submitochondrial particles of rat liver and Morris Hepatoma 3924A were compared as a function of changes in temperature. On Arrhenius plots, a discontinuity at 18 degrees was observed for the rat liver mitochondrial ATPase, while the hepatoma mitochondrial ATPase revealed a discontinuity at 20.4 degrees. Values for energy of activation of the rat liver and hepatoma mitochondrial ATPases were comparable below the break (34.5 and 35.5 kcal/mole, respectively) and above the break (11.6 and 9.2 kcal/mole, respectively). Solubilization of the mitochondrial membrances with Triton X-100 resulted in constant and similar values of energy of activation for the ATPases Km values of hepatoma and rat liver mitochondrial ATPases for adenosine triphosphate were similar in both the membrane-bound and solubilized states. The lack of uncoupler-stimulated ATPase activity in hepatoma mitochondria is apparently not due to membranous effects on the affinity of the ATPase for adenosine triphosphate.

Investigation of the rate-determining microsomal reaction of cholesterol biosynthesis from lanosterol in Morris hepatomas and liver.

Previously, we reported that the properties or microsomal 4-methyl sterol demethylase isolated from liver and Morris hepatomas 5123C and 7777 are grossly similar. The individual enzymic steps of this multicomponent system have now been studied, and the rate-determining step has been determined and shown to be identical for liver and these hepatomas. The rates of microsomal oxidative attacks of the 4alpha-methyl, 4alpha-hydroxymethyl, and 4-aldehydic groups are similar for microsomes prepared from rat liver and hepatoma 7777. The rates of mixed-function oxidative attack appear to increase in the order;--CH3 less than --CH2OH less than --CHO. Furthermore, the hepatic and hepatoma NAD-dependent decarboxylase, which catalyzes the reaction following the three oxidative attacks is similar in properties and velocity. The fifth step, an NADPH-dependent reduction of the 3 ketosteroid that is produced by decarboxylation, is also similar. For both tissues, the latter two reactions, under in vitro conditions, proceed at rates that exceed the initial oxidative process. Thus, for elimination of both of the 4-methyl groups of lanosterol, the 10 individual reactions catalyzed in this multicomponent system are identical in liver and hepatoma 7777 microsomes, and the rate-determining stop for both liver and hepatoma is the inital oxidative attack on the 4alpha-methyl group of cholesterol procursors. When the rate-determining reaction of both liver and hepatoma 7777 microsomes is assayed at different temperatures, the same activation energies and the same characteristic breaks in the arrhenius plots are observed. Thus, for both liver and hepatoma, both the nature and the site of rate determination in this multienzymic system must be similar. Since the microsomal enzymes of liver nad hepatoma appear to be catalytically similar and rate determination appears to be similar, too, the characteristic lact of response of tumor microsomes to treatments in vivo that alter host liver microsomal demethylation activity suggests that the insensitivity of these tumors to dietary cholesterol should not be ascribed to alterations in the catalytic proteins. Evidence in this report suggests that the postmicrosomal supernatant fraction of both liver and hepatoma contains a cytosolic protein that may participate in the regulation of the rate-determining attack of 4alpha-methyl sterol substrates. Thus, either qualitative or quantitative differences between the postmicrosomal supernatant fractions obtained from liver and heptomas may account for the observed differences in rates of cholesterol biosynthesis.

Characterization of microsomal methyl sterol demethylase in two Morris hepatomas.

Previously, we reported that the rate of metabolism of methyl sterol intermediates of cholesterol biosynthesis by broken-cell preparations of Morriss hepatoma 7777 is very slow, whereas the intact tumors are known to synthesize cholesterol quite efficiently. Active preparations have now been obtained by substitution of pyrophosphate for phosphate buffer. Although substitution of pyrophosphate buffer markedly enhances microsomal methyl sterol demethylation rates 3- to 4-fold in hepatoma 7777, other microsomal enzymes and electron carriers in either liver or a more slowly growing hepatoma appear to be unaffected by pyrophosphate. Several properties of the active microsomal methyl sterol demethylase have now been compared for control rat liver, host liver, tumor 7777, and tumor 5123C. Conditions necessary for the assay of initial velocities of enzymic reactions in the tumor microsomes have been established with respect to the amount of protein, time-course, concentrations of cofactors and substrate, pH, and other variables. The K'm and the responses to the variables studied above are very similar for methyl sterol demethylase of microsomes isolated from control liver, host liver, tumor 5123C, and tumor 7777. The multienzymic demethylase in the various preparations has been found to be inhibited similarly by in vitro additions of cyanide, cytochrome c, and bile salts. Thus, the enzymes of the microsomal-bound 4-methyl sterol demethylase of cholesterol biosynthesis appear to be very similar in liver and these 2 Morris hepatomas. When xenobiotic inducers of microsomal oxidases, such as phenobarbital and methylcholanthrene, are administered to normal and tumor-bearing rats, elevated rates of methyl sterol demethylation are observed with isolated liver microsomes obtained from both normal and tumor-bearing rats. Similar increases are not observed in the tumors. Furthermore, daily administration of an intestinal bile acid sequestrant elevates hepatic methyl sterol demethylase, but statistically significant changes were not observed in tumors 7777 and 5123C. Since the enzymes of methyl sterol demethylase appear to be grossly similar in liver and these hepatomas, regulation of the activity of the multienzymic system contained in the tumors may be altered. On the other hand, these agents in vivo simply may not affect liver and the hepatomas similarly, due to a lack of uptake of the foreign substances by the tumor that has been transplanted to the thighs.