ZINC-DEFICIENCY AND GROWTH OF EHRLICH ASCITES TUMOR

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (7) , 2451-2456
Abstract
The growth rate of Ehrlich ascites tumors was examined as a function of the Zn content of the diet of the host mice. Imposition of a diet containing a low amount of Zn (1 .mu.g/g) on the day of tumor transplant leads to a marked growth retardation. Pretreatment of the mice with this diet slows the growth further so that the lifetime of the mice can be doubled. Cells in such animals are still viable and rapidly proliferate after the animals are placed on a diet containing Zn. Growth rate of the tumor is also recorded at levels of Zn (40, 80, 160, and 250 .mu.g/ml) in the drinking water. All of these results are examined in relationship to the Zn in the ascites fluid, which provides the Zn nutriture for the tumor. A direct correlation between growth rate and fluid Zn content was observed. The influence of diet and the tumor upon Zn content of the liver of the host was examined. The tumor essentially sequesters Zn from the animal under Zn-deficient conditions. Over a 10-fold range of fluid Zn values, there were no clear differences in the concentration of Zn within the ascites cells. This occurs despite the facile uptake and efflux of Zn ion by the Ehrlich cell.

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