Abstract

Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies were carried out on the preneoplastic nodule, to observe the morphological and immunohistochemical changes of the transformed preneo- plastic hepatacytes by immunohistochemical method using antibodies to the various marker enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase of placental form (GST-P), glutathione S-transferase of basic form (GST-L), Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) The results obtained were as follaws; l) The transformed preneoplastic hepatocytes could be detected easily by use af GST-P antibody especially in the clear cell nodule from the 2nd month and is significantly increased from the 12th month compar'ed with the 2nd month, while basophilic nodule was observed from the 10th month. 2) Immunohistochemical staining revealed strong positive reaction to GST-P and weakly positive to G6PDB, GST-L and focally poitive to GGT in clear cells, while weak or negative reaction to GST-P, G6PDH, GST-L and GGT in eosinophilic cells. and Basophilic cells showed negative reaction to GST-P, GST-P, GST-L, G6PDH and positive to GGT. 3) Electron microscopically, clear cells revealed abundant glycogen particles and well developed endoplasmic reticulum, while eosinophilic cell reveaied abundant mitochondria and vacuoles with a few glycogen, basophilic cells revealed abundant rER and ribosomes. Immunohistochemically, GST-P is abundantly distributed in the cytoplasm especially around the rER, vesicles and alsp in nucleus. 4) Therefore, glutathione S-transferase is a good marker for early detection of genetically transformed and preneoplastic hepatacytes especially clear cell while GGT is positive marker for basophilic cell. GST-P is abundantly present in the cytosol and around the rER and vesicle. The clearness of preneoplastic hepat.ocytes were thought as the result of marked increase of glycogen while basophilic cells were the result of marked incresed rER.

• Keywords: glutathione S-transferase, GST-P, preneoplastic nodule glucose-6-phosphate dehy- drognase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase