The particular traits of carcinogenesis induced in Wistar rats by aflatoxin B1. IV. Porphyrins and the activity of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase in Wistar rats bearing transplantable hepatoma.

In inbred Wistar rats bearing transplantable hepatoma induced by aflatoxin B1 tissue porphyrins and the level of the serum gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP) were studied. A liver reaction in carriers of transplants was ascertained, that was expressed especially by an increase in porphyrins, mainly the protoporphyrin fraction, and by morphological changes. The content of porphyrins in lung metastases was higher than in hepatomas and livers. The level of serum GGTP was higher in females up to the 40th passage, and up to the 90th passage higher in males. Hormonal conditioning of the early AFB1-hepatoma passages is supported by a lower level of serum GGTP in females and higher in males, and the liver and tumor porphyrins in animals previously castrated in comparison with uncastrated rats. Comparative data of the quantity and quality of porphyrins in different rat tissues with primary and transplantable AFB1-hepatomas demonstrate that systemic metabolic disorders of porphyrins are greater in rats with primary than in the case of transplantable tumors.