ABSTRACT
The pattern of keratin expression in hamster cheek pouch epithelium during 15-wk of DMBA-induced carcinogenesis was studied. The sequential changes in cytokeratins of premalignant and malignant tissues and comparative investigation of normal epithelial tissues were examined during a weekly sequential DMBA-induced chemical carcinogenesis. Keratin polypeptides of normal pouch epithelium appear in a molecular weight range of 43-67 kd and 5-6 proteins can be identified. The disappearance of high molecular weight keratin (61-67 kd) was observed from the 6-wk DMBA-treated premalignant group to the 15-wk DMBA-treated malignant group. An additional keratin polypeptide was noted initially on the 11th-wk-DMBA-treated group and remained to the 15th-wk-DMBA treated group.
Subject(s)
Keratins/analysis , Mouth Mucosa/analysis , Mouth Neoplasms/analysis , Precancerous Conditions/analysis , 9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene , Animals , Cheek/analysis , Cheek/pathology , Cricetinae , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel , Epithelium/analysis , Epithelium/pathology , Immunoblotting , Keratins/classification , Male , Mesocricetus , Mouth Mucosa/pathology , Mouth Neoplasms/pathology , Palate/analysis , Precancerous Conditions/pathology , Skin/analysis , Sodium Dodecyl SulfateABSTRACT
Vitamin A levels in tissues of 20 normal adult hamsters on a standard diet were measured colorimetrically. No significant difference between male and female animals was found for any of the tissues sampled. The mean vitamin A value for blood plasma in 20 animals was 53.4 micrograms/dl. Mean values for liver, kidneys, flank skin and cheek pouch were 813, 1.29, 1.84 and 1.31 mg/g wet weight, respectively. The vitamin assay was less suitable for small organs such as trachea.