Hepatocytes with extraperoxisomal catalase in rats fed 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene

Histochemical and cytochemical studies were done to further characterize the preneoplastic hepatocytes with extraperoxisomal catalase (EPC-cells) that were found in the livers of rats fed 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. Catalase activity was demonstrated cytochemically to be localized in nuclear matrices, hyaloplasm, and peroxisomal matrices of EPC-cells. It is suggested that an impairment of peroxisome formation is involved in the altered intracellular distribution of catalase. Administration of clofibrate increased the catalase activity in EPC-cells. To examine the preneoplastic nature of EPC-cells, activities of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were examined, since changes in the activities of these enzymes have been used as markers of putative preneoplastic cells. In the present study, neither weak G6Pase activity nor positive GGT activity was considered to be a consistent feature of EPC-cells. However, available evidence suggests that EPC-cells are one of the carcinogen-induced cell populations with altered phenotypes.