Cancer of the liver is the fourth most prevalent (4.75%) of all malignant tumors
among Koreans, whereas in the United States and Europe, the prevalence is about 0.2 to
0.7%.
Both aflatoxin and dimethylaminoazobenzene are widely used as the hepatoma-
inducing agents in laboratory animals.
Epidemiologic studies show correlation between the incidence of hepatoma in specific
locales and the apparent content of aflatoxin in diet (Alpert et al., 1968, 1969).
Kim et al. detected aflatoxin B1 B2 G1 and
G2 in Meju and Doenjang, both of which are Korean-style foodstuffs, the
former is a naturally inoculated soybean substrate for soy sauce and paste fermentation,
and the latter is a Korean style fermented soybean paste,
We made an attempt to observe the difference between the incidence of hyperplastic
nodules and the mode of tumor growth in the liver of rats, which were administered
aflatoxin B1(APB1) and p-dimethylaminoazobenzene (DAB)
by means of intubation into the stomach, and the effect of partial hepatectomy on them.
Male Sprague-Dawley rats, 180 to 220 gm. in weight were used exclusively. Each
animal received 37.5㎍ of aflatoxin B1 or 5 ㎎ of p-dimethylaminoazo-
benzene in 40 doses over 8 weeks.
Partial hepatectomy was performed after feeding for 6 weeks and consisted of the
anterior median lobe
The increase of body weight, the incidence and site of hyperplastic nodules, and the
rates of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, were observed 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14
and 18 weeks after the initiation of carcinogen-feeding.
1. The increase of body weight of the rats which received carcinogens (AFB1
and DAB) was delayed in comparison with that of normal rats and that of the
partially hepatectomized rats which received carcinogens was also delayed for the first 2
weeks and thereafter accelerated in comparison with that of the rats which received
only carcinogens.
2. Carciongens (AFB1 and DAB) inhibited the regeneration of the liver
following partial hepatectomy.
3. The incidence of hyperplastic nodule of the liver in rats which received
AFB1 was higher than that of the rats which received DAB, and partial
hepatectomy seemed to be the cause of the formation of hyperplastic nodules in
AFB1 group.
|