title: Inhibitory effect of arginine restriction on hepatoma growth.
abstract: The potential effects of arginine depletion on promotion of hepatocarcinogenesis and the proliferation of hepatoma cells was investigated. A promotional effect of an arginine-free diet on tumor incidence in liver and kidney was not detected in rats and mice treated with N-nitrosodimethylamine. Inhibitory effects of an arginine-deficient diet on the growth of transplanted hepatomas were observed. Relative to the effect on body weight, the inhibition was greater in mice than rats. The inhibitory effects of an arginine-deficient diet were not correlated with the arginase activity in the tumors. Studies with hepatoma cells treated with polyethyleneglycol-modified arginase indicated that the inhibitory effects of arginine-deprivation on DNA synthesis need not be related to depletion of polyamine precursors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark 07103.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lea
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grote-Holman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001119:Arginase / Q000494:pharmacology; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004032:Diet; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000633:toxicity; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D051381:Rats; D011915:Rats, Inbred BUF; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D001120:Arginine; D001119:Arginase; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine; D013936:Thymidine