[Biological activity of hepatocellular carcinoma by analysing nuclear DNA ploidy patterns and using anti BrdU...

Cell nuclear DNA ploidy patterns were examined using cytofluorometry in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) in rat and human HCC. These ploidy patterns were compared with histopathological and/or immunohistochemical studies of HCC using anti-bromodeoxyuridine monoclonal antibody. The results are summarized as follows. HCC of rats induced by DEN was occurred in 74(65.5%) of 113 rats. Intravascular invasion of the livers were seen in 31 of 74(41.9%). Metastasis was in 25 of 74(33.8%). The ploidy patterns of HCC in rats were classified into three types (types I, II and III). These ploidy patterns were closely connected with histological types of HCC in Edmondson's classification, and in order of types changing from type I to type III, 6c over polyploid cells, mitotic indices (MI) and labeling indices (LI) had a tendency to increase. In human HCC, cell nuclear DNA ploidy patterns were classified into three types similarly to experimental HCC. These ploidy patterns were closely related to histological types in Edmondson's classification. MI and 6c over polyploid cells were tendency to increase similarly to HCC of experimental rats. From the above results, measurement of DNA ploidy patterns and LI are considered a valuable parameter in examining the biological activity of HCC.