Protein B23 is one of the major nucleolar phosphoproteins associated with pre-ribosomal particles, and is localized in the granular region of the nucleolus. Recent studies suggest that protein B23 shuttles between nucleus and cytoplasm and also interacts with HIV Rev. These findings indicate that protein B23 is important in nucleocytoplasmic relationship and viral replication. However, the exact function of protein B23 is not clear yet. In acute nucleolar hypertrophy of rat liver, treated with thioacetamide, there was observed an increase of not only protein B23 but also B23-like protein p45 when anti-B23 monoclonal antibody (MAb) was used for identification. On the basis of the large B23 specific epitope structure composed of 68 amino acids, a hypothesis was formulated to examine that p45 is the pre-B23 resulting from excessive production of B23. In an attempt to investigate the precursor of B23, we analyzed the subcellular fractions and microsomal subfractions. Subsequently, we analyzed the finger printings of B23-like proteins using the tryptic peptide mapping. The results are summarized: 1) Using B23 MAb, we observed the presence of B23-like proteins in nucleolar fraction, nucleoplasmic fraction and microsomal fraction. 2) In the further microsomal subfractionation, we could partially purify B23-like protein in 2M layer of sucrose gradient. 3) When ion exchange chromatography was employed, there were protein species 80kDa(p80), 65kDa(p65) and 60kDa(p60). 4) Based on the tryptic map analysis of ¹²⁵I labeled proteins, the similarity between B23 and p80 was found only in 9 out of 14(B23) and 21(p80) peptides, and difference was found in the remaining peptides. p80 and p60 had 18 common peptides, and all the peptides of p60 were similar to those of p80. From these results, it is proposed that p45 is an abnormal metabolite resulting from carcinogenesis by thioacetamide, and it is not the precursor of B23. In addition, we suggest that p80 may be a precursor of p45.