Purine Metabolism in Tetrahymena and Its Relation to Malignant Cells in Mice

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Twice daily subcut. or intraperit. injn. of 500 [mu]g. of guanazolo (5-amino-7-hydroxy-lH-v-triazolo[d]pyrimidine), a guanine analog capable of inhibiting purine metabolism by incorporation into nucleo-protein, inhibits the growth of transplanted adenocarcinoma (Eo771), spontaneous mammary cancer (C3H), and lymphoid leukemia (lymphoma 2 of strain A) in mice. Diaminazolo (5,7-diamino-lH-v-triazolo[d]pyrimidine) does not inhibit neoplastic growth. Both agents inhibit growth of Tetrahymena. The apparent rationale of these results is that neoplastic and normal mammalian tissues differ in their purine metabolism, neoplastic tissues being similar to Tetrahymena in the inability to synthesize guanine which normal mammalian tissues can synthesize from adenine. Guanazolo thus inhibits purine metabolism and therefore growth of neoplastic but not of normal tissue.