Ferritin is increased in diethylnitrosamine-altered rat hepatocytes.

Abstract Ferritin was localized by immunoperoxidase in rat liver during the early stages of experimental carcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine. Carcinogen - altered hepatocytes, indentified by their reduction in membrane-bound ATPase activity, showed a highly elevated content in ferritin (or ferritin subunits), compared to normal hepatocytes. This could correspond to an accumulation of free subunits in the cytoplasm or to a “non-specific” increase in ferritin synthesis related to the carcinogenic process. Our results suggest that some cytoplasmic proteins other than enzymes can be modified during the early stages of carcinogenesis and that ferritin accumulation detected by immunolocalization can be used as a valuable marker to identify foci of cellular alterations.