title: Changes in nucleic acid and protein levels in atrophying skeletal muscle in cancer cachexia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate factors responsible for muscle loss in cachexia changes in nucleic acid and protein levels have been determined and compared with those induced by a tumour-produced cachectic factor, proteolysis-inducing factor (PIF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were transplanted with the MAC16 tumour, while non-tumour bearing mice received PIF (1.5 mg/kg; i.v.) over a 24 h period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was an exponential decrease in RNA and protein in gastrocnemius muscle with weight loss without an effect on the DNA content. Levels of myosin followed the decrease in total protein, while actin levels remained constant. There was also a significant loss of protein from soleus muscle and spleen, but not from heart, liver and kidney. PIF also produced a significant loss of RNA and protein in spleen and reduced the protein content of soleus muscle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This suggests that PIF may be responsible for changes in protein and RNA content of tissues with the development of cachexia.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Science, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK.
authors.forename: Ameek S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bhogal
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lorite
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tisdale
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002100:Cachexia / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009124:Muscle Proteins; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA