Formation of autophagosomes during degradation of excess peroxisomes induced by di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate treatment. II. Immunocytochemical analysis of early and late autophagosomes.

We have investigated the autophagocytic process of excess peroxisomes and mitochondria induced by di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) treatment using immunocytochemical techniques. Rat liver peroxisomes were induced by 2 weeks treatment with DEHP. The animals were then injected with leupeptin (2 mg/100 g body weight), and their livers were fixed by perfusion at various intervals. The liver tissues were embedded in LR White or Epon. Semithin sections of the Epon-embedded tissue were stained for cathepsin D, B, and H, and lysosomal glycoprotein (LGP107) by the immunoenzyme technique after removal of epoxy resin. Thin sections of LR White-embedded tissue were stained for the same antigens by the immunogold technique. Some liver specimens were processed to ultracryotomy, and frozen-thawed thin sections were immunostained for carboxylesterase E1 and alpha-glucosidase II, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) markers. Twenty minutes after leupeptin injection, many peroxisomes and mitochondria were surrounded by a double-layered membrane (isolation membrane) continuous with the ER. These membranes were positive for carboxylesterase E1 and alpha-glucosidase, but not for LGP107 as well as cathepsins. Forty to 60 minutes after leupeptin injection many autophagic vacuoles showing various developing stages appeared and accumulated. The early autophagic vacuoles were surrounded by a double-layered membrane, whereas the late autophagic vacuoles had a single limiting membrane. The former was negative for cathepsins as well as LGP107, but positive for carboxylesterase E1 and alpha-glucosidase II. The results suggest strongly that the isolation membrane is derived from the ER membrane and converted later into the lysosomal membrane and support our previous morphological observations.