Gangliosides of liver tumors induced by N-2 fluorenylacetamide III. Galactosyl and sialyl transferases in single carcinomas and nodules.

The specific activities of UDP-galactose : GM2 galactosyltransferase and CMP-NAN : GM1 sialyltransferase were measured in total particulate fractions of individual hepatocellular carcinomas (hepatomas) and hepatic nodules, induced in the rat by a carcinogenic diet of 0.05% N-2-fluorenylacetamide alternating with a low protein basal diet. In all tumors except the smallest nodules, galactosyltransferase specific activities were increased compared to those of control livers from rats fed only basal diet. When relative specific activities were related to wet weight of nodules larger than 0.1 g were in two populations. Specific activities of nodules in one population overlapped those of poorly differentiated hepatomas whereas specific activities of the second population those of well differentiated hepatomas. Specific activities of the sialyltransferase were also increased above those in control livers but not with the same frequency or to the same extent as for the galactosyltransferase. As with galactosyltransferase, nodules were found in two major populations when specific activities were related to nodule wet weight. The data suggest that increased specific activities of galactosyltransferase and sialyltransferase in hepatic nodules may provide an early phenotypic indicator of diverging differentiation in hepatocarcinogenesis.