Concanavalin A agglutination of cells from primary hepatocellular carcinomas and hepatic nodules induced by N-2-fluorenylacetamide.
A previous study demonstrated that cells of transplantable hepatocellular carcinomas were agglutinated by the plant lectin concanavalin A, while normal hepatocytes were not. In the present experiments, 95% or more of cells obtained from primary hepatocellular carcinomas which resulted from exposure of rats to N-2-fluorenylacetamide were agglutinated by this lectin. Exposure to this carcinogen also produces grossly visible foci of morphologically and biochemically altered hepatocytes which have been termed hepatic (hyperplastic; premalignant, neoplastic) nodules. Although these hepatocyte aggregates are generally accepted as precursors of the hepatocellular carcinomas, no agglutination was detected when their cells were exposed to concanavalin A. These results indicate that concanavalin A agglutinability is not acquired as a result of tumor transplantation. Furthermore, they suggest that significant alterations must occur in the cells of hepatic nodules prior to the manifestation of malignant behavior.
D015073:2-Acetylaminofluorene; D000371:Agglutination; D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D011912:Rats, Inbred ACI
D003208:Concanavalin A; D015073:2-Acetylaminofluorene