Nucleic Acids and Their Components in Tumor-Bearing Mice during Growth and Regression of Tumors.

Abstract

The concn. of RNA, DNA, adenine, and guanine of liver, lung, kidney, and spleen of normal C3H mice and those bearing a transplantable mouse lymphosarcoma at different stages of tumor development was detd. The mice bearing the tumor were divided into 2 groups; one received desoxypyridoxine (I) on a vit. B6-deficient diet while the other received I on a diet rich in vit. B6 to counteract the effect of the antivitamin. In addition to DNA, RNA, adenine, and guanine, the pyrimidines (uracil, cytosine, and thymine) were also detd. in the spleen. The data indicate that there is an increase in the nucleic acids and their purine constituents in the liver, kidney, and lung during the growth of the tumor. The nucleic acids reached a higher level in mice receiving I on a vit. B6-sufficient diet than in mice receiving I on a vit. B6-deficient diet. The changes in nucleic acids are followed generally by similar changes in adenine and guanine. Mice receiving I on a diet high in vit. B6 show a max. value in DNA (which is close to normal) in the spleen on the 17th day of tumor growth which then drops to 20% below normal at 19 days. In mice receiving I on a diet deficient in vit. B6, DNA in the spleen drops sharply. At 19 days, this drop is 70% below normal and this is followed by a similar drop in thymine, cytosine, guanine, and adenine. RNA does not vary greatly in the spleen, also true of uracil.