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Immunofluorescent Study on -Fetoprotein-producing Cells in the Early Stage of 3'-Methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene Carcinogenesis¹

Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical College, S.I. W.17, Sapporo, Japan

This study was carried out to identify -fetoprotein (AFP)-producing cells in the hepatic tissue by immunofluorescent antibody techniques during the early stage of 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene ingestion.

After 1 to 3 weeks, cells fluorescent to AFP were undetectable in cholangiolar cells ("oval cells") and also in degenerated megalocytic hepatocytes. After 4 to 7 weeks AFP appeared in rat sera, and "transitional cells" and small hepatocytes proliferated markedly in the periportal areas of hepatic lobules. AFP was exclusively detected in the majority of the transitional cells and a small portion of the small hepatocytes. Some fluorescent cells appeared in small groups, and others were randomly distributed in the periportal areas. The typical oval cells and the megalocytic hepatocytes were not fluorescent. When AFP in sera became undetectable, the regenerated hepatocytes matured considerably and were not brightly fluorescent.

In the hepatic tissue, where AFP-producing cells were observed by fluorescent antibody technique, hematopoietic cells were frequently observed but they were not fluorescent.

¹ This work was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid 90287 and 801001 for Cancer Research from the Ministry of Education, Japan.

Received 8/26/74. Accepted 1/30/75.