Pancreatic Acinar Cell Damage Induced by 4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide and 4-Hydroxyaminoquinoline- 1-oxide2

A single, intraperitoneal injection of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide or 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline-1-oxide (4HAQO) induced severe pancreatic acinar-cell necrosis in rats within 24 and 48 hours. The severity of necrosis was dose dependent. With a lower dose of either agent, the lesions tended to localize in the subcapsular region of the pancreas and periphery of the lobules. An intravenous injection of 4HAQO caused diffuse involvement of the pancreas, with necrosis of scattered acinar cells throughout the lobules. Neither agent induced any significant histologic alterations of the liver, though necrosis of salivary gland acinar cells was consistently observed.