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Histochemical and immunohistochemical detection of putative preneoplastic liver foci in women after long-term use of oral contraceptives

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Virchows Archiv B

Summary

Localized areas with altered enzyme patterns were observed in liver tissue surrounding focal nodular hyperplasia in women after long-term use of oral contraceptives. These localized lesions were of three different types. Type I lesions were characterized by glycogen storage, a reduction in ATPase and an increase inγ-glutamyltranspeptidase (γ-GT) and UDP-glucuronyltransferase (UDP-GT) detected immunohistochemically. Type II lesions, which were morphologically very similar to small hyperplastic nodules, showed only a decreased ATPase reaction. Type III lesions showed an increase inγ-GT (detected histochemically) and a slight reduction in ATPase. The results indicated that in human liver from patients given oral contraceptives long-term, localized lesions with altered enzyme patterns may occur which are very similar to those observed in animal models during experimental hepatic carcinogenesis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrum Pathologie, Universität Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, D-3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    G. Fischer, M. Droese & A. Schauer

  2. Zentrum Innere Medizin, Universität Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, D-3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    H. Hartmann

  3. Zentrum Pharmakologie, Universität Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 57, D-3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    K. W. Bock

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  1. G. Fischer
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  2. H. Hartmann
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Supported by the Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie, UC-Teilprojekt CMT 18 (A.S., G.F.) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (K.W.B.)

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Fischer, G., Hartmann, H., Droese, M. et al. Histochemical and immunohistochemical detection of putative preneoplastic liver foci in women after long-term use of oral contraceptives. Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathol 50, 321–337 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02889911

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