Studies on Serum Protein Changes and Organ Dye Concentrations in Trypan Blue Carcinogenesis.

Abstract

Summary A single injection of trypan blue produced a prompt reduction in total serum proteins due largely to a decrease in the albumin fraction. The hypoproteinemia, with a reduction in all fractions, found in animals bearing dye induced reticuloendothelial tumors was attributed to the advanced stage of neoplasia. An“abnormal” band between α¹ and α² previously described in the serum of rats only after trypan blue treatment was seen in the present study in the serum of untreated animals, but was quantitatively increased after the dye injection. The incidence and concentration of this band were not increased in tumor bearing animals. Evaluation of the degree of cellular response and the concentration of protein bound dye in the liver, spleen and lymph nodes following one dye injection indicated that neither could be correlated with the eventual development of reticuloendothelial neoplasms in the liver. However, the relatively rapid fall in the concentration of protein bound trypan blue in the liver led to speculation that tumorigenesis in this organ might be due to release of free dye or formation of metabolic breakdown products.