Gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase-positive hepatocyte foci were produced in female rats given a single dose of diethylnitrosamine neonatally after birth and, after weaning, a diet containing phenobarbitone for 30 wk. The nucleator method, a new stereological approach, provided an efficient, unbiased estimate of mean cell volume in focal lesions and extrafocal areas. It also provided an unbiased sample of cells to estimate hepatocyte nuclear volume and the percentage of binucleated cells. The results showed an increase in the mean volume of mononucleated cells--from 4,700 micron3 in extrafocal areas to 12,700 micron2 in foci--and of binucleated cells--from 6,900 micron3 to 25,000 micron3. This demonstrated the hypertrophic effect of the carcinogenic treatment in focal lesions. A striking reduction in the proportion of binucleated cells was also observed in the preneoplastic lesions. Nuclear volume measurements from mononucleated and binucleated hepatocytes were used to assess ploidy. An apparent increase in nuclear ploidy, with no change in cellular ploidy, was noted in focal tissue when compared with nonfocal tissue. This appeared to be caused by an increase in mononucleated tetraploid cells and a reduction in binucleated cells with two diploid nuclei, indicating an altered mitotic mechanism in focal lesions. The significance of these changes in cell volume, apparent ploidy levels and binuclearity in preneoplastic foci is discussed in relation to the hepatocarcinogenic process.
Synergistic interactions have been reported in the carcinogenicity of two epoxy resin components to mouse skin. A mixture of bisphenol A diglycidylether and bis epoxycyclopentylether was highly carcinogenic, despite the fact that neither compound gave positive results when applied individually. To elucidate the mechanism of this synergistic interaction we have investigated the effects of bis epoxycyclopentylether upon the hydrolysis and DNA-binding of bisphenol A diglycidylether. This glycidylether was rapidly hydrolysed by microsomal and cytosolic fractions of mouse liver and skin. In three different mouse strains the specific epoxide hydrolase activities were 28.3-48.5; 33.0-38.8; 7.9-10.2 and 0.85-0.98 nmol/mg protein/min for liver microsomal and cytosolic and skin microsomal and cytosolic fractions respectively. This is the first demonstration of an epoxide hydrolase activity in skin cytosolic fractions. Bis epoxycyclopentylether inhibited the microsomal activities. This inhibition appeared to be slightly more effective with microsomal fractions from liver. The effect of this inhibition upon the binding of bisphenol A diglycidylether to mouse skin DNA was investigated using bisphenol A diglycidylether radiolabelled at two different positions. When high doses of bisphenol A diglycidylether were applied to the mouse skin one major DNA adduct was observed which was identified as a glycidaldehyde adduct. This adduct was not detectable at the lowest bisphenol A diglycidylether dose tested, unless bis epoxycyclopentylether was applied simultaneously. These findings suggest that glycidaldehyde may be formed from bisphenol A diglycidylether. At low doses, however, the epoxide groups are hydrolysed before glycidaldehyde can be formed, unless the epoxide hydrolase is inhibited. Such inhibition and the associated increased production of glycidaldehyde may account for the potentiation of the carcinogenic response in the epoxide mixture.
The effect of nafenopin upon primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes has been investigated. Nafenopin treatment resulted in a proliferation of peroxisomes within the cultured cells. This proliferation was the result of an increase in both the number and size of the peroxisomes. Nafenopin treatment also caused an increased level of thymidine incorporation into the cultures, which was a consequence of replicative DNA synthesis rather than DNA repair. Finally, nafenopin appeared to delay the appearance of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activity within the cultured cells. Consequently three effects of nafenopin upon the liver were reproduced using monolayers of adult rat hepatocytes, which suggests that this culture system may be useful to further investigate the molecular processes underlying peroxisome proliferation, and their involvement in the hepatocarcinogenicity of peroxisome proliferators.
In a variety of biological systems, the cellular response to an extracellular stimulus is mediated by a complex cascade of biochemical signals transduced from the cellular membrane to the specific part(s) of the cell where the response(s) occur(s). The signal transduction pathways do form a matrix of several reactions involving increased intracellular free Ca2+ levels, activation of Na+/H+ exchange, stimulation of phosphatidylinositol turnover, activation of protein kinase C and increased transcription of several cellular proto-oncogenes. Each of them is subject to modulation at many levels, and is also susceptible to deregulation during chemically-induced carcinogenesis. It is the aim of this short review to give an insight into the complexity of this system which may mediate the effects induced in hepatocytes by peroxisome proliferators or may, upon chronic exposure, be altered by some of them.
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