Correlation of liver growth and function during liver regeneration and hepatocarcinogenesis

We have previously studied some parameters of rat liver activity and compared the kinetics of cell proliferation (normal growth or after partial hepatectomy) with some specific hepatic enzymes. The mutually exclusive relationship between division and tissue function, their specific circadian rhythm as well as the "chalone effect" have been used to characterize the normal homeostatic regulatory mechanism in the liver. The same parameters have been recently determined during chemical carcinogenesis. Adult rats, fed long term with diethylnitrosamine (DENA, 10 mg/kg/day) develop liver carcinoma after 90 days of carcinogen administration. The results show that the relationship between the above parameters is progressively disturbed during the second month of treatment. A minimum of 4 weeks of continuous DENA feeding is found to be necessary for the induction of liver cancers. Giving the carcinogen for a second month decreases the delay before death with cancer. Protracting the treatment after the second month has no further effect either on survival or on cancer induction. The mechanism of carcinogenesis is explained by postulating that preneoplastic lesions evolution would closely depend on the homeostatic control disturbances.