Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Correlation of histology and alpha1-fetoprotein resurgence in rat liver regeneration after experimental injury by galactosamine

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Virchows Archiv A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Intraperitoneal injections of galactosamine-HCl in rats were followed by transitory elevations of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentrations. These were associated with regeneration of the damaged liver; a maximum of serum AFP was reached on day 4 (2.08±0.67 μg/ml). In sera of untreated rats, serum AFP levels were <0.1 μg/ml and no cellular AFP was detected in liver sections. Two days after galactosamine injections, AFP was localized for the first time in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells of bile ducts and canaliculi in portal spaces. The intensity of AFP staining reached a maximum between days 3 and 4. In addition, faint but distinct AFP-positive reactions were seen in the cytoplasm of randomly distributed hepatocytes. After day 5, AFP-staining cells rapidly disappeared. A strong correlation was noted between reappearance of AFP in sera, intensity of epithelial bile duct proliferation and cellular AFP staining.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abelev, G.I.: Production of embryonal serum α-globulin by hepatomas: review of experimental and clinical data. Cancer Res. 28, 1344–1350 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Abelev, G.I., Perova, S.D., Khramkova, N.I., Postnikova, Z.A., Irlin, I.S.: Production of embryonal α-globulin by transplantable mouse hepatomas. Transplantation 1, 174–180 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuatrecasas, P.: Protein purification by affinity chromatography. Derivatizations of agarose and polyacrylamide beads. J. Biol. Chem. 245, 3059–3065 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Delpré, G., Gilat, T.: Revue générale. L'Alpha-foeto-protéine. Deuxième partie. Gastroeneterol. Clin. Biol. 2, 193–214 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Farber, J.L., Gill, G., Konishi, Y.: Prevention of galactosamine-induced liver cell necrosis by uridine. Am. J. Pathol. 72, 53–62 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Geffroy, Y., Denis, P., Colin, R., Sauger, F, Matray, F., Fondimare, A.: Présence d'alpha1-foetoprotéine chez l'adulte au cours d'une hépatite virale traitée par corticothérapie. Presse Med. 78, 1107–1108 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gitlin, D., Boesman, M.: Fetus-specific serum proteins in several mammals and their relation to human α-fetoprotein. Comp. Physiol. 21, 326–336 (1967a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gitlin, D., Boesman, M.: Sites of serum α-fetoproetin synthesis in the human and in the rat. J. Clin. Invest. 46, 1010–1016 (1967b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gitlin, D., Kitzes, J., Boesman, M.: Cellular distribution of serum α-fetoprotein in organs of the foetal rat. Nature London 215, 534 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, R.C., Karnovsky, M.J.: The early stages of absorption of injected horseradish peroxidase in the proximal tubules of mouse kidney: ultrastructural cytochemistry by a new technique. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 14, 291–302 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Keppler, D., Lesch, R., Reutter, W., Decker, K.: Experimental hepatitis induced by D-galactosamine. Exp. Mol. Pathol. 9, 279–290 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhlmann, W.D.: Purification of mouse alpha1-fetoprotein and preparation of specific peroxidase conjugates for its cellular localization. Histochemistry 44, 155–167 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhlmann, W.D.: Untersuchungen zur zellulären Lokalisierung von alpha1-Fetoprotein unter normalen und pathologischen Bedingungen. In: Tumorantigene in der Gastroenterologie (F.G. Lehmann, Ed.) Vol. 11, pp 27–32. München: Karl Demeter 1976

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhlmann, W.D.: Ultrastructural immunoperoxidase cytochemistry. Progr. Histochem. Cytochem. 10, 1–57 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhlmann, W.D.: Localization of alpha1-fetoprotein and DNA-synthesis in liver cell populations during experimental hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. Int. J. Cancer 21, 368–380 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhlmann, W.D.: Immunoperoxidase labelling of alpha1-fetoprotein (AFP) in normal and regenerating livers of a low and a high AFP producing mouse strain. Histochemistry 64, 67–75 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Laurence, D.J.R., Neville, A.M.: Foetal antigens and their role in the diagnosis and clinical management of human neoplasms: a review. Br. J. Cancer 26, 335–355 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lesch, R., Reutter, W., Keppler, D., Decker, K.: Liver restitution after acute galactosamine hepatitis: autoradiographic and biochemical studies in rats. Exp. Mol. Pathol. 12, 58–69 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Matray, F., Sauger, F., Borde, J., Mitrofanoff, P., Grosley, M., Bourg, M., Laumonier, R., Hemet, J.: Présence d'alpha-foetoprotéine au cours d'une régénération hépatique après hépatectomie gauche pour hépatome chez un enfant. Pathol. Biol. (Paris) 20, 353–356 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Medline, A., Schaffner, F., Popper, H.: Ultrastructural features in galactosamine-induced hepatitis. Exp. Mol. Pathol. 12, 201–211 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Popper, H., Schaffner, F.: Die Leber, Struktur und Funktion. Stuttgart: G. Thieme 1961

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruoslahti, E., Seppälä, M.: Studies of carcino-fetal proteins. III. Development of a radioimmunoassay for alpha-fetoprotein. Demonstration of alpha-fetoprotein in serum of healthy human adults. Int. J. Cancer 8, 374–383 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sell, S.: Radioimmunoassay of rat α-fetoprotein. Cancer Res. 33, 1010–1015 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sell, S., Nichols, M., Becker, F.F., Leffert, H.L.: Hepatocyte proliferation and α1-fetoprotein in pregnant, neonatal, and partially hepatectomized rats. Cancer Res. 34, 865–871 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sell, S., Stillman, D., Gochman, N.: Serum Alpha-fetoprotein. A prognostic indicator of liver-cell necrosis and regeneration following experimental injury by galactosamine in rats. Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 66, 847–853 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smuckler, E.A., Koplitz, M., Sell, S.: α-Fetoprotein in toxic liver injury. Cancer Res. 36, 4558–4561 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Taketa, K., Watanabe, A., Kosaka, K.: Different mechanisms of increased α-fetoprotein production in rats following CCl4 intoxication and partial hepatectomy. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 259, 80–84 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tatarinov, Ju.: Detection of embryospecific α-globulin in the blood sera of patient with primary liver tumor. Vopr. Med. Khim. 10, 90–91 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Teilum, G., Albrechtsen, R., Nørgaard-Pedersen, B.: The histogenetic-embryologic basis for reappearance of alpha-fetoprotein in endodermal sinus tumors (yolk sac tumors) and teratomas. Acta Path. Microbiol. Scand. (A) 83, 80–86 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Immunocytochemistry, Institut für Nuklearmedizin, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany

    W. D. Kuhlmann & K. Wurster

  2. Institut für Pathologie, Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany

    W. D. Kuhlmann & K. Wurster

Authors
  1. W. D. Kuhlmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. Wurster
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

The present paper on alpha1-fetoprotein is dedicated to Prof. K.E. Scheer, Institut für Nuklearmedizin/D.K.F.Z. Heidelberg, on the occasion of his 60th birthday

Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Ku 257/3) D-5300 Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kuhlmann, W.D., Wurster, K. Correlation of histology and alpha1-fetoprotein resurgence in rat liver regeneration after experimental injury by galactosamine. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 387, 47–57 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428428

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428428

Key words

Search

Navigation