Serum alpha-fetoprotein in a mouse strain (C3H-Avy fB) with spontaneous hepatocellular carcinomas.
In a study of the association between circulating alpha-fetoprotein concentrations and spontaneous hepatocellular carcinomas, we examined C3H-Avy fB mice, which with age consistently demonstrate a rapidly increasing incidence of hepatic cancer. Although elevated alpha-fetoprotein levels are observed in association with the majority of these tumors, no elevation of alpha-fetoprotein was observed during the life course of non-tumor-bearing mice despite their age-dependent risk for hepatic cancer. Therefore, whatever the evolutionary or age-related biological changes may be that lead to tumor formation in this mouse, they are not linked to the synthesis of significant amounts of this oncofetal protein.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins