Histochemical Analysis of Liver Cells from Short Term, Aflatoxin-Dosed and Nondosed Coturnix coturnix japonica

Abstract

Although aflatoxicosis in Coturnix coturnix japonica has been described, the histochemical localization of liver chemicals and the occurrence of ingested aflatoxins within blood, feces, and liver have not been described. Six to 8-week-old quail, which were intubated with a carrier with or without .3 mg mixed aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2)/kg body weight were sacrificed within .25 to 5 days of intubation. Deparaffinized sections of livers were stained for lipids, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, and proteins. Other livers and excrement were homogenized and filtered homogenates as well as blood partitioned against chloroform. The aqueous phase was treated with pepsin and then partitioned, but the organic phase was analyzed directly. Organic phases of .25 to 5 day blood, feces, and liver lacked aflatoxins. Pepsin digesta of blood from males and females dosed 6 hr appeared to contain aflatoxicol (disappeared by 24 hr) and an unknown fluorescent compound, respectively. Whereas an unidentified fluorescent compound was observed within excrement of males dosed 6 hr, female excrement contained a fluorescent compound with an AFB1 Rf (disappeared by 24 hr). Although the liver of males dosed 6 hr had three fluorescent compounds (Rfs for AFB1 and AFB2a), only one was seen within dosed females. Ultra violet absorption spectra of presumed AFB2a and aflatoxicol failed to yield their reported absorption maxima. Livers from dosed quail exhibited bile duct proliferation, cellular necrosis, vacuolization, congestion, fatty changes and mild hepatitis. Sinusoidal membranes were thickened and contained abundant periodic acid-Schiff's (PAS)-positive substances. Although livers of nondosed quail abounded with regularly shaped and uniformly distributed, Sudan IV-positive droplets, livers of dosed quail accommodated few, irregularly-shaped and positioned droplets. Hepatocyte nuclei and nucleoli of dosed quail displayed marked affinities for the Feulgen reagent and toluidine blue O, respectively. Lobules of dosed quail possessed concentrations of cells in which their entire cytoplasm was PAS positive. Treatment of sections with alpha-amylase reduced staining suggesting the presence of glycogen. Ninhydrin-positive substances were distributed throughout the liver in both DQ and non DQ with no apparent difference in intensities between the two livers. Generally the DQ showed mild hepatitis due to aflatoxicosis and the toxin altered liver histochemistry for the major classes of cellular chemicals.

Comparative uptake, vascular transport, and cellular internalization of aflatoxin-B1 and benzo(a)pyrene

“…Although data are available supporting a lipoprotein uptake and vascular transport mechanism for BaP and some of the polyhalogenated organics (Busbee et al 1982Wilson et al 1982;Yoo et al 1984), the mechanism of AFB 1 uptake and vascular transport, or the differences between BaP and AFB1 uptake and transport, have not been clearly delineated (Dashek et al 1982;Shireman and Schneider 1982;Wilson et al 1985). In this paper the authors present data showing that BaP is taken up and transported by plasma LP, and that cellular internalization of LP-sequestered BaP may be dependent on the LP type and cell type.…”

Gene Expression and Pathway Analysis of Quiescent CD8+ T Cells from Liver Cancer, Liver Sinusoid and Peripheral Blood - Study on Toxicogenomics and Prevention Targeting

“…The liver sinusoid is of interest since it receives oxygen from the liver artery while at the same time receiving nutrients/metabolites from the GI tract. It serves as both a molecular sieve and a scavenger, which results in the accumulation of toxic substances in the liver sinusoid [13,14]. The mechanism that the accumulation of toxic factors in the liver sinusoid affects the immune response of CD8+ T cells, however, remains unknown.…”