65Zn uptake by liver of rats fed 3′-methyl-dimethylaminoazobenzene

Abstract

The uptake of 65Zn, determined by γ-counting and also by autoradiography, significantly increased with the increasing level of metallothionein in liver 4 weeks after the start of feeding a diet containing 3′-methyl-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3′-Me-DAB), at which time the serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity was not yet significantly elevated. At this time, furthermore, hepatic uptake of 67Ga-citrate did not increase and that of 99mTc-Sn-colloid decreased in 3′-Me-DAB-fed rats. These results suggest that a short-life gamma-emitting isotope such as 69mZn may be useful for the detection at the early stage of hepatic carcinogenesis.