Enhancement of NNM-induced carcinogenesis in the rat liver by phenobarbital: a combined morphological and enzyme histochemical approach.

The influence of sodium phenobarbital (PB) treatment on the sequence of N-nitrosomorpholine (NNM) induced focal preneoplastic lesions in the rat liver was investigated using a combined morphological and enzyme histochemical approach. Quantitative assessment of the different types of foci of altered hepatocytes visible in H&E sections after carcinogen application, namely the clear and acidophilic cell glycogen storage foci and mixed cell foci comprising glycogen storing cells and also more basophilic hepatocytes showing reduction in glycogen reserves, revealed a shift towards mixed cell character and greater size in PB-treated livers in comparison to those receiving NNM alone. Within the three dose levels of PB investigated (0.75, 0.075 or 0.0075 g/l drinking water) a clear dose dependence in appearance of mixed cell foci was apparent. Assessment of alterations in the activities of marker enzymes observed within preneoplastic foci was carried out by comparison of PAS preparations with sections reacted for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, glucose-6-phosphatase and adenosine triphosphatase. G6PDH proved the most consistent enzyme marker for small glycogen storage foci whereas larger foci of that type and mixed cell foci were associated with change in activity of all enzymes studied. The results are discussed in relation to the sequence of events occurring during hepatocarcinogenesis and the influence of PB on altered cellular populations. The applicability of enzyme markers is further considered in view of the question of heterogeneity within populations of preneoplastic foci.