This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Harris, L. Articles by Farber, E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Harris, L. Articles by Farber, E.

Patterns of Ligand Binding to Normal, Regenerating, Preneoplastic, and Neoplastic Rat Hepatocytes¹

Department of Pathology [L. H., V. P., E. F.] and Biochemistry [E. F.], Medical Sciences Building, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8

The binding of epidermal growth factor, asialoorosomucoid, and apoprotein E-rich lipoproteins to isolated hepatocytes was investigated at various time intervals during the step-by-step development of liver cancer in rats. The degree of binding of the three ligands showed a progressive reduction in early persistent and late persistent putative preneoplastic hepatocyte nodules. This was further decreased in hepatocytes isolated from unequivocal hepatocellular carcinomas. Regenerating liver hepatocytes bound lesser amounts of epidermal growth factor and asialoorosomucoid than did hepatocytes from control resting liver but increased amounts of apoprotein E-rich lipoproteins. The progressive decrease in ligand binding during the precancerous phase of hepatocarcinogenesis, the nodule-to-cancer sequence, may render nodules less responsive to the influences of their external environments.

¹ This research was supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute of Canada, the Medical Research Council of Canada (MT 5994), and the USPHS (CA 21157) from the National Cancer Institute, Department of Health and Human Services.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 7/21/86. Revised 2/26/87. Accepted 4/24/87.