The ultrastructure of the liver in thyroid-fed rats

Summary Rats were fed on a 25% casein diet or the same diet supplemented with desiccated thyroid. The rats were killed after 16 days. Histological sections of the livers of the control rats show coarse, basophilic inclusions and abundance of glycogen in the cytoplasm. In the thyroid-fed rats there is a diffuse, cytoplasmic basophilia with basophilic rods and no or almost no glycogen. Under the electron microscope large areas of glycogen are to be seen in the cytoplasm of the control animals. Mitochondria and rough-surfaced endoplasmic membranes, often in large stacks, are found together. The liver cells of the thyroid-fed rats have little or no glycogen in their cytoplasm. Mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and free ribosomes and polysomes are evenly distributed all over the cytoplasm. There seems to be an increase in the ratio of free to membrane-bound ribosomes and polysomes in the thyroid-fed rats. The possible significance of this observation in relation to RNA synthesis is discussed.This work was supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (Project No. K-69-12X-623-05) and the Swedish Cancer Society (Project No. 95-K69-03X).     

Ribonucleic acid labelling perfused livers of protein-fed and protein-deprived rats

Several observations suggest an increased RNA synthesis in livers of protein-deprived rats, though the RNA/DNA ratio is decreased. A number of hormones may be involved in these changes. Therefore, we studied in RNA metabolism in isolated perfused livers taken from protein-fed and protein-deprived rats. (3H)-orotic acid was given to the rats 2 h before liver explantation, and (14C)-orotic acid was added to the perfusate. Other rats, called controls in vivo, whose livers were not transplanted were also given (3H)-orotic acid followed by (14C)-orotic acid. The livers of these rats, which were not hormone supplemented, were labelled for the same length of times as the livers in vitro. The ratio specific RNA radioactivity/specific nucleotide radioactivity x RNA/DNA was determined and taken as a measure of the RNA synthesis per liver cell. In the controls in vivo, this ratio was significantly higher for protein-deprived than for protein-fed rats. In livers from the protein-fed rats, labelling in vitro increased significantly when growth hormone, hydrocortisone, insulin and tri-iodothyronine were added to the perfusate. Labelling was also significantly higher in these livers than in the controls in vivo. In livers from protein-deprived rats, the ratio in question was the same whether the hormones were added to the perfusate or not, and was significantly lower than in the controls in vivo. Differences in RNA labelling are thus obtained in our in vitro system. Gel electrophoresis of RNA demonstrated normal RNA labelling, showing that the system is suitable for studying liver RNA synthesis. Further refinement can be made by studying the labelling of UTP and CTP. The results might suggest that the liver from a protein-fed rat, explanted in vitro, may increase its RNA synthesis under the influence of the four hormones in question, and that the RNA synthesis of the liver of a protein-deprived rat is high in-vivo and that it might decrease, when it is explanted to in vitro conditions.     

Isotachophoretic and HPLC determination of nucleotides in rat liver cell nuclei isolated by non-aqueous technique

Rat liver whole cells and cell nuclei were prepared by a non-aqueous technique (glycerol). The nuclear preparations were of different purity as determined by RNA/DNA ratios (0.17-1.60) and accordingly were divided into 3 subgroups (mean values 0.29, 1.04 and 1.48). RNA nucleotides were separated by isotachophoresis and HPLC and calculated per mg DNA. Two of the nuclear subgroups (RNA/DNA = 1.04 and 1.48) had significantly elevated nucleotide values in relation to RNA/DNA. UDP-N-acetylhexosamine/DNA, on the contrary, was reduced in conformity with RNA in the preparations. Our findings may indicate different nucleotide concentrations in different parts of the cell.     

Radioautographic studies with methionine-3H and cytidine-3H in protein-fed,protein-deprived and starved rats

Summary Male, growing rats were either fed on a protein-rich or a protein-free diet or starved. At various intervals before they were killed, they were given either cytidine-³H or methionine-³H subcutaneously. Radioautographs of several organs were prepared. Grain counts were performed on sections of liver, pancreas, kidney, adrenal, spleen, stomach, duodenum, heart, lung, striated muscle, testis, skin and cerebellum. They revealed inter alia an increased labelling, especially of ribose nucleic acid, in the liver during protein depletion and starvation. These changes were also found in the ribose nucleic acid labelling of nucleoli, nucleolus-associated chromatin and non-nucleolar nucleus in liver cell nuclei. Changes were also found in many other organs. The findings might be interpreted as signs of a shift of nucleic acid and protein synthesis during protein deprivation and starvation from less essential to more essential' organs. — Some aspects of the intracellular ribose nucleic acid and protein metabolism are discussed.The investigation was supported by a grant from the Swedish Medical Research Foundation.     

The effects of fluorouracil and actinomycin,single and combined,on the nucleolar ultrastructure of various tissues of the rat

Summary 5-fluorouracil and actinomycin D were given, single and combined, to rats. The nucleolar ultrastructure was examined in liver, pancreas, spleen, kidney cortex, adrenal cortex, in epithelial and smooth muscle cells of the small intestine and in the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. 5-fluorouracil, given alone, provoked changes in all tissues examined. Actinomycin D, given alone, gave changes in all tissues examined, except the cerebellum. Treatment with fluorouracil prior to actinomycin delayed and modified the effect of the latter drug in all tissues examined.This work was supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (Project K68-12X-623-05) and the Swedish Cancer Society (Project 6831).The results were briefly presented at the XIIth International Congress of Cell Biology, Bruxelles 1968.     

Ultrastructural organization and RNA labelling of hepatic ribosomes in rats fed on diets deficient in essential amino acids

Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathology - Rats were starved for 2 days and then refed on either a 25 % casein diet, a non protein diet with no amino acids, or a non protein diet with 25% amino acids. The...     

Loss of Silver Grains from Radioautographs Stained by Gallocyanin-Chrome Alum

Radioactive tissue sections covered with the film from Kodak Fine-Grain Autoradiographic Stripping Plate AR. 10 were stained with Ehrlich's hematoxylin or gallocyanin-chrome alum after exposure and photographic processing. Staining with gallocyanin-chrome alum at pH 1.7 and 2.4 dissolved the silver grains completely or almost completely in 1 to. Grains were quite visible after a 3 hr staining at pH 3.4, but a statistical analysis revealed a loss of grains, compared with unstained controls. Grains were also lost in slides immersed in solutions of gallocyanin alone at pH 2.5 for 24 hr but not in solutions of chrome alum alone, nor in some other alums. In sections stained 1 hr with Ehrlich's hematoxylin, the grains were not dissolved.     

Changes in immunocompetent cells after interstitial laser thermotherapy of breast cancer

Background  

Local tumour destruction has been shown to give rise to changes in immunocompetent cells. The aim of this study was to describe the effect of interstitial laser thermotherapy (ILT) of breast carcinoma in the tumour and in regional lymph nodes.