[Expression of PCNA and protooncogenes during experimental hepatocarcinogenesis in rats]

The expression of PCNA and the protooncogenes of ras family (N-ras, H-ras and Ki-ras) in hepatocarcinoma cells and the proliferating liver cells in precancerous, hyperplastic nodules during experimental hepatocarcinogenesis, induced by diethylnitrosamine in rat liver was observed immunohistochemically and by in situ hybridization. The results indicated that there was a positive expression of PCNA in both the carcinomas cells and precancerous liver cells. The amount of PCNA-positive cells exhibited a negative correlation with the amount of infiltrating mast cells surrounding carcinoma cell nests and the hyperplastic, precancerous nodules. These results basically coincided with that of the separate observation of the expression of protooncogenes in the same study.