Morphological, biochemical and autoradiographic studies of pancreatic acinar cell necrosis and its regeneration induced by 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline-1-oxide in rats.

A single intravenous injection of 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline-1-oxide (4-HAQO) induced a dose-dependent diffuse pancreatic acinar cell necrosis within 48 hours after the administration in rats. Regeneration following the necrosis ensued by 72 hours. The serum amylase levels were markedly elevated within 24 hours, which paralleled a decrease of digestive enzyme contents in the pancreas. The change of these biochemical parameters corresponded well with the morphological change of the pancreas. Autoradiographic studies with 3H-thymidine revealed that the labeling index of the regenerating acinar cells was considerably higher, reaching a peak value of nearly 18.2% at 72 hours after injection of 4-HAQO and it still remained high in 2.67% even at 168 hours after injection.