GAMMA-GLUTAMYL-TRANSFERASE TRANSPEPTIDASE AND ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN EXPRESSION DURING ALPHA-NAPHTHYLISOTHIOCYANATE-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN RATS

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 42  (12) , 5133-5138
Abstract
Continuous feeding of .alpha.-naphthylisothiocyanate to young male Sprague-Dawley rats produces a concentration-dependent increase in the number of hepatic ductular cells and a concentration- and time-dependent elevation of serum and liver .gamma.-glutamyl transpeptidase and .alpha.-fetoprotein. In liver, the increased .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase and .alpha.-fetoprotein were predominantly confined to the proliferated ductular cell population. Early stages of intoxication by the noncarcinogen .alpha.-naphthylisothiocyanate resemble early stages in induction of liver neoplasia by carcinogens that evoke ductular proliferation. Elevation of .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase and .alpha.-fetoprotein expression by an expanding ductular cell population characterizes both processes. However, the increase is rapidly reversed after .alpha.-naphthylisothiocyanate is discontinued, in contrast to the persistence that has been reported when acetylaminofluorene was administered.