Hepadnaviral hepatocarcinogenesis: in situ visualization of viral antigens, cytoplasmic compartmentation, enzymic patterns, and cellular proliferation in preneoplastic hepatocellular lineages in woodchucks.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepadnaviral hepatocarcinogenesis induced in woodchucks with and without dietary aflatoxin B1 has been established as an appropriate animal model for studying the pathogenesis of human hepatocellular carcinoma in high-risk areas. Our aim in this study was the elucidation of phenotypic cellular changes in early stages of this process. METHODS: Woodchucks were inoculated as newborns with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV), and partly also exposed to aflatoxin B1. Sequential hepatocellular changes in the expression of viral antigens, ultrastructural organization, cellular proliferation and apoptosis were studied in situ by electron microscopy, enzyme and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: A characteristic finding in WHV-infected animals (with and without aflatoxin B1) was proliferative areas of minimal structural deviation, which predominated periportally, comprised glycogen-rich, amphophilic, and ground-glass hepatocytes, and expressed the woodchuck hepatitis core and surface antigens. Two main types of proliferative foci emerged from minimal deviation areas, glycogenotic clear cell foci and amphophilic cell foci (being poor in glycogen but rich in mitochondria), giving rise to the glycogenotic-basophilic and the amphophilic preneoplastic hepatocellular lineages. A gradual loss in the expression of viral antigens appeared in both lineages, particularly early in the glycogenotic-basophilic cell lineage. Whereas glycogenosis was associated with an enzymic pattern suggesting an early activation of the insulin-signaling pathway, amphophilic cells showed changes in enzyme activities mimicking a response of the hepatocytes to thyroid hormone, which may also result from early changes in signal transduction. CONCLUSION: Preneoplastic hepatocellular lineages in hepadnaviral and chemical hepatocarcinognesis show striking phenotypic similarities, indicating concordant and possibly synergistic early changes in signaling.

Hepatocellular alterations after intraportal transplantation of ovarian tissue in ovariectomized rats.

The mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis by certain synthetic estrogens seem to involve both nongenotoxic and indirect genotoxic effects. However, the natural estrogen estradiol did not exert any carcinogenic effects in established experimental protocols. To elucidate specific long-term effects of natural estrogens on hepatocytes, small pieces of ovarian tissue were transplanted via the portal vein into the livers of ovariectomized female rats. One week, 3 weeks, and 3 months after transplantation the transplants were found to proliferate and to secrete estradiol. Three weeks after transplantation the hepatocytes of the liver acini downstream of the stimulated transplants already showed a remarkable loss of glycogen, distinct cytoplasmic amphophilia, enlargement of their nuclei, a strong increase in the number and size of peroxisomes, an increase in proliferative activity and apoptotic elimination, and changes in the activity of certain key enzymes of energy metabolism. All hepatocellular alterations could be inhibited by the estrogen receptor antagonist toremifene and are, therefore, attributed to specific effects of estradiol produced by the transplants. The observed alterations resemble in some respects amphophilic preneoplastic liver foci, which particularly occur after long-term administration of nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogens, including the adrenal steroid hormone dehydroepiandrosterone. In a preliminary experiment three of six animals exhibited a hepatocellular carcinoma, and another animal developed a hepatocellular adenoma 18 months after intrahepatic ovarian tissue transplantation.

Hyperproliferative hepatocellular alterations after intraportal transplantation of thyroid follicles.

The thyroid hormone 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) is a strong direct hepatocyte mitogen in vivo. The effects of T3 resemble those of peroxisome proliferators, which are known to induce hepatocellular tumors in rats. With the aim of studying long-term local effects of thyroid hormones on liver parenchyma, small pieces of thyroid tissue were transplanted via the portal veins into the livers of thyroidectomized male Lewis rats. At 1 week, 3 weeks, 3 months, and 18 months after transplantation, the transplants were found to proliferate, to synthesize thyroglobulin, and to release thyroxine and T3. At 3 and 18 months after transplantation, the hepatocytes of the liver acini downstream of the transplanted follicles showed an increase in cytoplasmic basophilia, a loss of glycogen, an enlargement and hyperchromasia of their nuclei, and a strong increase in cell turnover compared with unaltered liver acini. The altered hepatocytes exhibited an increase in the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphatase, malic enzyme, mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, cytochrome-c-oxidase, and acid phosphatase; the activities of glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase were strongly decreased. The hepatocytic alterations downstream of the transplanted follicles could be explained by effects of T3. On the other hand, they resembled alterations characteristic of amphophilic preneoplastic liver foci observed in different models of hepatocarcinogenesis.

EblacZ tumor dormancy in bone marrow and lymph nodes: active control of proliferating tumor cells by CD8+ immune T cells.

A well-defined lacZ gene tagged DBA/2 lymphoma (EblacZ) was used to examine the role of host immune responses in controlling tumor dissemination and persistence, as well as metastasis. In s.c. and intra-ear pinna-inoculated mice, low numbers of EblacZ cells homed to the bone marrow and lymph nodes. The frequency of bone marrow-residing tumor cells did not change with the growth of primary tumor or with multiple inoculations of tumor cells. The bone marrow-residing tumor cells expressed the proliferation-associated Ki67 antigen and expanded upon CD8+ depletion. In contrast, inoculation of nu/nu or severe combined immunodeficiency mice or of immune-suppressed DBA/2 mice led to the rapid outgrowth of EblacZ cells in the bone marrow and their metastasis to other organs. Transfer of bone marrow from EblacZ immunized MHC congenic or syngeneic DBA/2 donors, but not from naive donors, protected s.c.-inoculated DBA/2 mice. Protection was abrogated by in vitro depletion of CD8+ T cells prior to transfer of bone marrow. These experiments show that bone marrow and lymph nodes are privileged sites where potentially lethal tumor cells are controlled in a dormant state by the immune system. Metastasis may be a consequence of the breakdown of this immune control.

Pyruvate kinase isoenzyme shift from L-type to M2-type is a late event in hepatocarcinogenesis induced in rats by a choline-deficient/DL-ethionine-supplemented diet.

Rats received a choline-deficient diet containing 0.1% (w/w) DL-ethionine (CDE) for 4, 10, 14 or 22 weeks. A separate group was treated for 4 weeks with CDE and then received a normal diet for 4 weeks. The L and M2 isoenzymes of pyruvate kinase were immunocytochemically demonstrated in liver sections. L-PK expression was strongly reduced in the hepatocytes after 4 weeks of treatment and remained low until the end of the study. Withdrawal of CDE after 4 weeks followed by 4 weeks normal diet resulted in a nearly full recovery of L-PK expression as compared to untreated controls. At later stages (10-22 weeks of CDE- treatment) many pseudolobules, preneoplastic foci of altered hepatocytes (FAH) such as combined clear/acidophilic cell foci (CCF/ACF) and mixed/basophilic cell foci (MCF/BCF), and hepatocellular adenomas (HCA) were observed. Pseudolobules showed a slight reduction in L-PK-expression, and were negative for M2-PK. In all clear cell components of CCF/ACF excessively storing glycogen, L-PK-expression was increased compared to both the surrounding parenchyma and hepatocytes of controls. In acidophilic cell components with less pronounced glycogen storage L-PK expression was similar to that of pseudolobules showing a slightly reduced content of this enzyme protein. M2-PK was invariably negative in CCF/ACF. In most MCF glycogen-storing subpopulations expressed L-PK, whereas in all glycogen-poor basophilic populations L-PK protein was strongly reduced. M2-PK was not expressed in most of these MCF. However, in rare MCF the reduction in L-PK expression was combined with a significant expression of M2-PK. In HCA M2-PK underwent a further increase, although to a variable degree, while L-PK remained strongly reduced. Our results show that an isoenzyme shift from L-PK to M2-PK takes place at a late stage of the hepatocarcinogenic process, and that those MCF with a low L-PK expression and a reexpression of M2-PK most probably represent the direct precursor lesions of hepatocellular neoplasms.

Metabolic activation of aflatoxin B1 to aflatoxin B1-8,9-epoxide in woodchucks undergoing chronic active hepatitis.

Chronic hepatitis B virus infection as well as consumption of food contaminated with the mycotoxin aflatoxin B1 are considered to be 2 major risk factors for the development of primary liver cancer in humans. Furthermore, epidemiological surveys indicate that hepatitis B virus and aflatoxin B1 might act synergistically to induce primary liver cancer. In the present study, we have tested the hypothesis that the metabolic activation of aflatoxin B1 to aflatoxin B1-8,9-epoxide, the ultimate mutagenic and carcinogenic mycotoxin metabolite, is enhanced in an experimental model of chronic hepatitis using woodchucks, chronically infected with the woodchuck hepatitis virus. Woodchuck liver microsomes were incubated with radiolabeled aflatoxin B1, the resulting aflatoxin B1-8,9-epoxide was trapped as a glutathione conjugate and its formation rate was determined by a reversed-phase HPLC analysis. In woodchuck hepatitis virus-positive woodchucks, activation of aflatoxin B1 to aflatoxin B1-8,9-epoxide was reduced when compared to woodchuck hepatitis virus-free animals, and the extent of the reduction was dependent on the severity of the hepatitis. Hence, at least in woodchucks, a chronic hepadnaviral infection does not lead to an enhanced activation of aflatoxin B1.

Differences between graft-versus-leukemia and graft-versus-host reactivity. I. Interaction of donor immune T cells with tumor and/or host cells.

Graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) and Graft-versus-host (GVH) reactions were compared after systemic transfer of allogeneic antitumor immune T lymphocytes from B10.D2 (H-2d; Mls(b)) into DBA/2 (H-2d; Mis(a)) mice. Before immune cell transfer, recipient DBA/2 mice were sublethally irradiated with 5 Gy to prevent host-versus-graft reactivity. Recipients were either bearing syngeneic metastatic ESb lymphomas (GVL system) or were normal, non-tumor-bearing mice (GVH system). We previously reported that this adoptive immunotherapy protocol (ADI) had pronounced GVL activity and led to immune rejection of even advanced metastasized cancer. In this study, monoclonal antibodies were used for immunohistochemical analysis of native frozen tissue sections from either spleen or liver to distinguish donor from host cells, to differentiate between CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes, and to stain sialoadhesin-positive macrophages at different time points after cell transfer. The kinetics of donor cell infiltration in spleen and liver differed in that the lymphoid organ was infiltrated earlier (days 1 to 5 after transfer) than the nonlymphoid organ (days 5 to 20). After reaching a peak, donor cell infiltration decreased gradually and was not detectable in the spleen after day 20 and in the liver after day 30. The organ-infiltrating donor immune cells were mostly T lymphocytes and stained positive for CD4 or CD8 T-cell markers. A remarkable GVL-associated observation was made with regard to a subset of macrophages bearing the adhesion molecule sialoadhesin (SER+ macrophages). In the livers of tumor-bearing mice, their numbers increased between days 1 and 12 after ADI by a factor greater than 30. Double-staining for donor cell marker and SER showed that the sialoadhesin-expressing macrophages were of host origin. The SER+ host macrophages from GVL livers were isolated by enzyme perfusion and rosetting 12 days after ADI, when they reached peak values of about 60 cells per liver lobule, and were tested, without further antigen addition, for their capacity to stimulate an antitumor CD8 T-cell response. The results of this immunologic analysis suggest that these cells in the liver function as scavengers of the destroyed metastases and as antigen-processing and -presenting cells for antitumor immune T cells.

Synergistic hepatocarcinogenic effect of hepadnaviral infection and dietary aflatoxin B1 in woodchucks.

Interactive hepadnaviral and chemical hepatocarcinogenesis was studied in woodchucks inoculated as newborns with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV), which is closely related to the human hepatitis B virus. When the woodchucks reached 12 months of age, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was administered in the diet at dose levels of 40 micrograms/kg body weight/day for 4 months and subsequently 20 micrograms/kg body weight/day (5 days/week) for lifetime. WHV DNA was demonstrated by Southern blot hybridization in the serum and by PCR in the serum and/or liver tissue. The histo- and cytomorphology of the liver were investigated by light and electron microscopy. WHV carriers with and without AFB1 treatment developed a high incidence of preneoplastic foci of altered hepatocytes, hepatocellular adenomas, and hepatocellular carcinomas that appeared 6-26 months after the beginning of the combination experiment. Administration of AFB1 to WHV carriers resulted in a significantly earlier appearance of hepatocellular neoplasms and a higher incidence of hepatocellular carcinomas compared to WHV carriers not treated with AFB1. Neither hepatocellular adenomas nor carcinomas (but preneoplastic foci of altered hepatocytes) were detected in woodchucks receiving AFB1 alone, and no preneoplastic or neoplastic lesions were found in untreated controls. These results provide conclusive evidence of a synergistic hepatocarcinogenic effect of hepadnaviral infection and dietary AFB1. Except for the frequent presence of ground glass cells containing surface antigen filaments in the infected woodchucks, the phenotype of preneoplastic foci of altered hepatocytes was similar in WHV carriers with and without exposure to AFB1 and in animals treated with AFB1 alone. Clear cell foci excessively storing glycogen and/or fat, amphophilic cell foci crowded with mitochondria and peroxisomes, and mixed cell foci composed of various cell types including basophilic cells rich in ribosomes predominated. The cellular phenotype in neoplastic lesions varied from clear, amphophilic, and mixed cell populations in highly differentiated adenomas and carcinomas to basophilic cell populations prevailing in poorly differentiated carcinomas. The striking similarities in altered cellular phenotypes of preneoplastic hepatic foci emerging after both hepadnaviral infection and exposure to AFB1 suggest closely related underlying molecular mechanisms that may be mainly responsible for the synergistic hepatocarcinogenic effect of these oncogenic agents.

Pattern and load of spontaneous liver metastasis dependent on host immune status studied with a lacZ transduced lymphoma.

Detection of disseminated leukemia within organ is often very difficult and might lead to underestimation of the metastatic load. Therefore, we transduced the mouse ESb T lymphoma with the bacterial lacZ gene, which allowed us to follow metastasis at the single cell level. Intradermal primary tumor growth of lacZ transduced ESbL cells (L-CI.5s) comprised three phases: an initial expansion phase (day 0 to 9, increase from 0 to 8 mm, tumor diameter), a plateau phase (day 9 to 20, constant diameter of 8 mm and necrosis), and a second expansion phase (day 20 to 30, increase from 8 to 15 mm). Liver metastasis could already be detected at day 3 and maintained at that level until day 23, where exponential expansion started. A distinct mosaic-like metastasis pattern developed, with preferential localization of tumor cells to the periportal areas of the liver in immunocompetent animals. In contrast, in immunocompromised mice, primary tumor growth and metastasis were progressive and metastasis appeared as diffuse or focal/clustered. Healthy animals surviving a tumor cell inoculum of a variant cell ESbL-CI.5) with a reduced metastatic potential carried low levels of possibly dormant tumor cells in the bone marrow. Thus, this study showed that host immunocompetence determines to a large extent kinetics and load of spontaneous liver metastases and even influences the pattern and localization of disseminated lymphoma cells.

Localization of estrogen receptors in interstitial cells of hamster kidney and in estradiol-induced renal tumors as evidence of the mesenchymal origin of this neoplasm.

The mechanism of estrogen-induced and -dependent kidney carcinogenesis in Syrian hamsters and the cell of origin of the tumor are not well understood; they have been investigated in this study by mapping the cellular locations of estrogen receptor (ER) in estrogen-dependent tumors, in kidney tissue of hamsters treated with estradiol for 0.5 and 5.5 months, and in kidneys of age-matched controls. To validate the methods used, receptors have also been localized in uteri of hamsters and rats and in female hamster kidneys. ERs have been identified in cryostat sections by immunocytochemical techniques using an affinity-purified ER antibody, ER-715. Nuclei of tumors were intensely stained for ERs. In estrogen-treated kidneys and in controls, ER protein was identified in interstitial cells and capillaries, in arteries, and in renal corpuscles, particularly in podocytes and in the parietal layers surrounding the renal corpuscles. There was no ER protein in tubular epithelia even when tubuli were surrounded by tumor cells. The ER distribution in female hamster kidneys closely matched that in male kidneys. However, the staining intensity was stronger in female than in male kidneys. In hamster uteri, there was an intense ER-positive reaction in the nuclei of stroma, in stromal vessels, and in the luminal epithelia as demonstrated previously by others in rat uteri. ER mRNA has also been demonstrated by Northern blot analysis in estrogen-treated kidneys which contained tumors but was undetectable in untreated kidneys. The localization of ERs in estrogen-dependent tumors and in interstitial cell types but not in tubular epithelia supports previous conclusions of an interstitial origin of estrogen-induced hamster kidney tumors.

Reduction in the expression of glucose transporter protein GLUT 2 in preneoplastic and neoplastic hepatic lesions and reexpression of GLUT 1 in late stages of hepatocarcinogenesis.

Expression of two important glucose transporter proteins, GLUT 2 (which is the typical glucose transporter in hepatocytes of adult liver) and the erythroid/brain type glucose transporter GLUT 1 (representing the typical glucose transporter in fetal liver parenchyma), was studied immunocytochemically during hepatocarcinogenesis in rats at different time points between 7 and 65 wk after cessation of 7-wk administration of 12 mg/kg of body weight of N-nitrosomorpholine p.o. (stop model). Foci of altered hepatocytes excessively storing glycogen (GSF) and mixed cell foci (MCF) composed of both glycogenotic and glycogen-poor cells were present at all time points studied. Seven wk after withdrawal of the carcinogen, GSF were the predominant type of focus of altered hepatocytes. Morphometrical evaluation of the focal lesions revealed that the number and volume fraction of GSF increased steadily until Wk 65. MCF were rare at 7 wk, increased slightly in number and size until Wk 37, but showed a pronounced elevation in their number and volume fraction from Wk 37 to Wk 65. In both GSF and MCF, GLUT 2 was generally decreased or partially absent at all time points. Consequently, foci of decreased GLUT 2 expression showed a steady increase in number and volume fraction from Wk 7 to Wk 65. GLUT 1 was lacking in GSF but occurred in some MCF from Wk 50 onward. The liver type glucose transporter GLUT 2 was decreased in all adenomas and hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). In three of seven adenomas and 10 of 12 carcinomas, expression of GLUT 1 was increased compared with normal liver parenchyma. In two cases of adenoid HCC, cells of ductular formations coexpressed GLUT 2 and GLUT 1. In contrast, normal bile ducts, bile duct proliferations, and cystic cholangiomas expressed only GLUT 1. Seven of 12 HCC contained many microvessels intensely stained for GLUT 1, a phenomenon never observed in normal liver. Whenever adenoid tumor formations occurred, GLUT 1-positive microvessels were located in the immediate vicinity of these formations. Only in one HCC were such microvessels found in the absence of adenoid formations. Our studies indicate that a reduction of GLUT 2 expression occurs already in early preneoplastic hepatic foci and is maintained throughout hepatocarcinogenesis, including benign and malignant neoplasms. Reexpression of GLUT 1, however, appears in a few MCF and in the majority of adenomas and carcinomas.

Resident mast cells are the main initiators of anaphylactic leukotriene production in the liver.

During anaphylaxis the sensitized liver can have substantial capacity for leukotriene production. However, the intrahepatic cellular source for these potent eicosanoid mediators has been unclear so far. We therefore analyzed the appropriate role of resident liver cells in organ-specific generation of leukotrienes by immunohistochemical localization of 5-lipoxygenase, by measurement of cysteinyl leukotriene production in animals or isolated livers and by histochemical monitoring of mast cells in rat, guinea pig and mouse livers, respectively. During anaphylaxis in vivo, these species all generated large amounts of leukotrienes. Immunohistochemistry with rat liver demonstrated resident mast cells as the predominant cell type in liver containing 5-lipoxygenase. Rat and guinea pig livers contained numerous mast cells and produced substantial amounts of leukotrienes on antigen challenge; in contrast, mouse livers neither showed detectable mast cells nor generated leukotrienes when stimulated analogously. Infusion of histamine or serotonin (1 mmol/L each) or of the degranulating substance P (8 mumol/L) did not elicit leukotriene generation in rat livers. Furthermore, substantial degranulation of liver mast cells by compound 48/80 (0.5 mg/kg body mass) was paralleled by only modest leukotriene formation (63 +/- 10 pmol in bile/kg body mass/30 min). These results indicate that during anaphylaxis mast cells are the main intrahepatic cells initiating leukotriene production and that such leukotriene generation is likely to be independent of mast cell degranulation or the release of histamine or serotonin.

[The phenotype of mast cells in primary adenoid liver tumours of rats and its relation to tumor cells].

Mast cells in adenoid liver tumours of 32 rats induced with nitrosomorpholine were observed ultrastructurally, and among them, some were studied immunocytochemically via immunogold techniques. Data indicated that mast cells which located in tumour tissues presented positive expression of rat mast cell protein (RMCP) II, indicating origination from the mucosal mast cells, while those in the connective tissues around tumours were largely stained negatively with either RMCP II or RMCP I antisera, with the exception of only a few cells showing positive RMCP II staining. Ultrastructural observation showed that mast cells in tumors contacted closely with the tumor cells. Membranes of the intracellular granules in these mast cells were fusing together. The content inside the granules were discharged and spread along the intercellular space between the tumor cells. There was not any lesion obtained ultrastructurally at the contacting point between the tumor cells and the mast cells. The significance of mucosal mast cells in adenoid liver tumors is briefly discussed.

Persistence of the cholangiocellular and hepatocellular lesions observed in rats fed a choline-deficient/DL-ethionine-supplemented diet.

Male outbred Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a choline-deficient diet containing 0.10% DL-ethionine (CDE) for 4, 6, 10, 14 or 22 weeks followed by a standard diet for up to 59 weeks. Liver sections were histochemically analyzed for the following parameters: basophilia, glycogen content and the activities of glycogen synthase (SYN), glycogen phosphorylase (PHO), glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PASE), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), glycerin-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), 'malic enzyme' (MDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALKPASE) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT). The stop experiments revealed that many of the oval cells proliferating during the first 4-6 weeks may undergo necrotic changes and disappear with time, whereas cholangiofibroses appearing in animals fed CDE for at least 10 weeks are persistent lesions. The sequence of lesions seen in this study, leading from persistent oval cells through cholangiofibroses to cholangiofibromas, strongly suggests that the oval cells are the precursor cells of cholangiocellular tumors. The proliferating oval cells and the hepatic foci consisting of clear and acidophilic or mixed cell populations were always spatially separated and no transitions between oval and parenchymal cells were observed. These results argue against a precursor-product relationship between oval and parenchymal cells. Both proliferating and persistent oval cells, cholangiofibroses and cholangiofibromas showed a strong staining for G6PDH, GAPDH, G3PDH, MDH, ALKPASE and GGT; low PHO, SYN and G6PASE activities were also detected in these lesions. Persistent glycogen-storage foci, which developed in all rats fed CDE for 4-14 weeks followed by a normal lab chow for over a year, had increased PHO, G6PDH, MDH, ALKPASE and GGT activities, while SYN, GAPDH and G3PDH activities remained unaltered and G6PASE activity decreased. Mixed cell foci appearing in animals fed CDE for 22 weeks followed by a normal lab chow for 59 weeks had strongly increased G6PDH, GAPDH, G3PDH, MDH, ALKPASE and GGT activities as well as decreased G6PASE activity. These results indicate that the characteristic metabolic pattern of preneoplastic hepatic foci is independent of the further administration of the carcinogenic diet. The shift from glycogen metabolism to glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway occurring during the later stages of CDE-induced hepatocarcinogenesis is an autogenous process apparently directing the disturbed carbohydrate metabolism towards alternative metabolic pathways. A similar metabolic shift also seems to take place during cholangiocarcinogenesis.

Histochemical profile of mouse hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas induced by a single dose of diethylnitrosamine.

In continuation of earlier studies on murine neoplastic liver lesions, we characterized by histochemical methods the phenotype of hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas induced by single injections of diethylnitrosamine (1.25, 2.5, or 5.0 micrograms/g of body weight) in 15-day-old C57BL/6 x male C3H F1 mice. The hepatocellular adenomas were composed predominantly of basophilic cells but stored excessive amounts of fat and glycogen in large portions of the tumors. Irrespective of the carcinogenic dose, the adenomas showed a consistent histochemical pattern. Glycogen synthase and phosphorylase were highly active in the hepatocytes that stored glycogen. In cells poor in, or free of, this polysaccharide, these enzymes were only moderately active or even inactive. In glycogen-storing parts of the adenomas, the activity of adenylate cyclase was reduced compared with normal liver parenchyma, but in fat-storing portions it was elevated. In a few adenomas, uniform increase in adenylate cyclase activity could be encountered. The levels of ATPase, acid phosphatase, and glucose-6-phosphatase were either increased or decreased. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase showed an increased activity in all adenomas compared with preneoplastic foci, which in turn exhibited a higher glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity than the surrounding parenchyma or the liver of untreated controls. The hepatocellular carcinomas showed remarkable histochemical changes compared with adenomas. The levels of fat and glycogen and the activities of glycogen synthase, phosphorylase, and in most cases also that of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, were reduced significantly. In contrast, adenylate cyclase, glucose-6-phosphatase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and also alkaline phosphatase showed a striking elevation in developing carcinomas. Similar, although more pronounced, histochemical changes were seen in the advanced hepatocellular carcinomas. These observations indicated that progression from adenomas to hepatocellular carcinomas was associated with a change in the activity of several enzymes involved in cell membrane function, glycogen metabolism, the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, and glycolysis.

Enzyme histochemical and immunohistochemical characterization of oval and parenchymal cells proliferating in livers of rats fed a choline-deficient/DL-ethionine-supplemented diet.

Male outbred Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a choline-deficient diet containing 0.10% DL-ethionine for up to 30 weeks. Liver slices from rats killed 4, 6, 10, 14, 22 and 30 weeks after starting the treatment were histochemically analyzed for the following parameters: basophilia, expression of cytokeratin 19 (which in the liver is bile duct epithelial cell-specific), glycogen content and activities of glycogen synthetase (SYN), glycogen phosphorylase (PHO), glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PASE), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), glycerin-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), 'malic enzyme' (MDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALKPASE) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT). The diet induced necrosis of single parenchymal cells and a massive proliferation of oval cells within 4-6 weeks; thereafter cholangiofibroses, cystic cholangiomas and some cholangiofibromas, but no cholangiocarcinomas, were observed. Oval cells, cholangiofibroses, cystic cholangiomas and cholangiofibromas expressed cytokeratin 19, whereas parenchymal cells, foci of altered hepatocytes and hepatocellular adenomas did not; this observation does not support a precursor-product relationship between oval and parenchymal cells. SYN, PHO, G6PASE, G6PDH, GAPDH, G3PDH, MDH, ALKPASE and GGT activities were detected in oval cells; cholangiofibrotic lesions, cystic cholangiomas and cholangiofibromas stained strongly for GAPDH, G3PDH and MDH. In livers from rats fed the diet for 10 weeks, single hepatocytes storing high amounts of glycogen appeared in the parenchyma. There was no indication of a transition from the oval cell population to hepatocytes storing glycogen in excess. Foci of glycogen-storing cells were scattered all over the lobes after 14 and 22 weeks; they had increased G6PASE, G6PDH, ALKPASE and GGT activities. Mixed cell foci and hepatocellular adenomas developed within 22-30 weeks and exhibited a remarkable decrease of G6PASE activity, a strong increase of G6PDH, GAPDH, G3PDH and MDH activities as well as extremely high ALKPASE and GGT activities. The data support the concept that during hepatocarcinogenesis, a number of sequential changes in the activities of various enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism occur and that a correlation between morphology and enzyme pattern in the focal lesions does in fact exist. Furthermore, our results suggest that two different cell lineages are involved in the development of cholangiocellular tumors from oval cells and hepatocellular tumors from hepatocytes.

Re-evaluation of the specificity of adenylyl (beta,gamma-methylene)diphosphonate as a substrate for adenylate cyclase.

The conversion of the ATP-analogue adenylyl(beta,gamma-methylene)diphosphonate (AMPPCP) to cyclic AMP by adenylate cyclase of rat liver membranes was demonstrated using a radioimmunoassay for cyclic AMP. The conversion was only insignificantly lower than with adenylylimidodiphosphate (AMPPNP), another ATP-analogue which is usually used in the histochemical adenylate cyclase assay. The unspecific phosphate production was lower with AMPPCP as compared to AMPPNP. Therefore AMPPCP is considered to be a more suitable substrate for the histochemical assay. Unspecific phosphate deposition in the histochemical assay was due to ATP:pyrophosphatase activity and could be significantly inhibited by 1 mM NAD. However, a residual phosphate deposition due to cleavage of NAD could not be suppressed. Adenylate cyclase activity could be markedly activated by 5 x 10(-5) M forskolin, an activator of the catalytic subunit of the enzyme, and inhibited by 1 mM 2'5'-dideoxyadenosine, a specific inhibitor of adenylate cyclase. Adenylate cyclase was localized predominantly in the sinusoidal part of the plasma membrane, while ATP-pyrophosphatase seemed to be restricted to the canalicular part. It is concluded that at least three parallel assays are necessary for routine histochemical demonstration of adenylate cyclase, namely (1) basal activity (2) activation by forskolin and (3) inhibition by 2'5'-dideoxyadenosine, to demonstrate a specific enzyme reaction.

Expression of facilitative glucose transporter in rat liver and choroid plexus. A histochemical study in native cryostat sections.

Two isoforms of facilitative glucose transporters (GLUT), namely the erythroid/brain-type GLUT 1 and the liver-type GLUT 2, were demonstrated in native cryostat sections of normal rat liver and brain by immunofluorescence and a very sensitive immunoalkaline phosphatase reaction. Fixation with 0.1% alcoholic periodic acid resulted in an excellent localization of GLUT 2 in liver and GLUT 1 in brain. GLUT 1 in liver, however, could successfully be demonstrated after fixation with 1% alcoholic formaldehyde. GLUT 2 occurred in all hepatocytes as a basolateral membrane protein with a gradient of high expression in the periportal area and a lower one in the perivenous part. The first layer of hepatocytes adjacent to the hepatic vein coexpressed GLUT 1. In addition, GLUT 1 could be detected in the smooth muscle layer of the portal vein and in the apical and lateral plasma membrane of the bile duct epithelium. In brain, GLUT 1 showed a high expression in the microvessels, the ependyma and in the basal plasma membrane of choroid plexus epithelial cells. The blood capillaries associated with the choroidal epithelium were, however, negative for GLUT 1. The importance of the new findings in this study for the physiological role of the respective facilitative glucose transport proteins is discussed.