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Sequential Histological and Histochemical Study of the Rat Liver after Single-Dose Aflatoxin B₁ Intoxication¹

Laboratorium voor Histochemie en Cytochemie, Departement Medische Navorsing, Fakulteit Geneeskunde, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Rats were given a single dose of aflatoxin B₁ lethal to 50% of the animals (7.20 mg/kg). Their livers were examined histochemically in correlation with sequential histological lesions. Early periportal liver cell necrosis and marked biliary cell proliferation were observed. Periportal cytoplasmic glycogen and RNA depletion occurred during this early period and subsequently extended to the whole lobule. The enzymes investigated decreased or disappeared in the periportal area; but alkaline phosphatase increased strikingly in the centrolobular area, whereas canalicular adenosinetriphosphatase completely disappeared throughout the liver lobule. The histochemical changes reverted to normal after cessation of the necrosis. Histochemical techniques were more sensitive in detecting the vulnerability of the periportal parenchyma to aflatoxin. After the necrosis, regenerative foci appeared. They showed a variable content in glycogen and RNA and were characteristically enzyme deficient. This reflects the immaturity of regenerating hepatocytes. These early foci subsequently disappeared and are thus considered irrelevant to hepatomagenesis.

¹ Paper 1 of a series of 2 papers dealing with liver histochemical changes during acute and chronic intoxication with AFB₁ in the rat. Paper 2 is Ref. 20. Partially supported by a grant from the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Geneeskundig Onderzoek of Belgium.

² These 2 papers formed the basis of a thesis submitted to the Medical Faculty of the Catholic University of Louvain in partial fulfillment of requirements for the "Licence en Sciences Medicales" degree.

Received 9/ 1/73. Accepted 5/16/75.