Data on the massive necrotic cell death observed in preneoplastic nodules during chemical-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats

A rat model of chemical-induced hepatocarcinogenesis is a valuable system for clarifying the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cancer initiation. Massive necrotic cell death, a rare phenomenon, was observed in preneoplastic nodules induced in animal livers using the following procedure: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (6 weeks old) were administered a basal diet containing either acetylaminofluorene (AAF; 0.02 % by wt) and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC; 0.25 %) or AAF (0.02 %) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, 0.25 %) for 8 or 10 weeks, respectively. The animal livers were fixed with cold acetone, and vibratome-prepared thick sections (25 m in thickness) were immunostained for glutathione S-transferase P-form (GST-P) and stained for -glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activity. Photomicrographic images were acquired using a Coolscope digital microscope (Nikon). The collected data set could benefit cancer researchers.