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Hepatocellular Localization of Fetal Antigens during Induction of Rat Liver Tumors by 3'-Methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene¹

Department of Pathology and Immunology, Monash University Medical School, Melbourne, Victoria [M. N. C.]; Institute of Radiotherapy, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Avoca Street, Randwick, New South Wales [J. B. W. H., M. G. I.]; and School of Biochemistry, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales [J. F. W.], Australia

Hepatic tumors regularly occur in rats after the ingestion of 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene for 120 days. The appearance of embryonic-type antigens prior to obvious neoplastic transformation was studied with the use of antisera against fetal rat serum (anti--fetoprotein) and fetal liver antigen.

Within 20 days of administration of carcinogen, -fetoprotein was detected in the circulation by means of gel diffusion. By 40 days, both -fetoprotein and fetal liver antigen could be localized by indirect immunofluorescent techniques in the livers of treated animals but not in control rats. The staining was confined to small patches which increased in size and became confluent with frankly neoplastic lesions.

There was no evidence of antibody production to fetal antigens, but autoantibodies reacting with cell nuclei and with liver cell cytoplasm were detected by immunofluorescent techniques.

¹ This work was supported by grants from the Anticancer Council of Victoria and the Australian Research Grants Committee.

² To whom reprint requests should be addressed, The Department of Pathology and Immunology, Monash Medical School, Prahran, Victoria, Australia 3181.

Received 1/30/74. Accepted 4/10/74.