title: The initial growth-rate of krebs-ii ascites cell tumors in mice is slowed down by the inclusion of phytohemagglutinin in the diet.
abstract: Twelve days after injection the total number of Krebs II cells in ascites tumours in mice fed on a diet containing kidney bean lectin phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) was about 60% of that in mice fed on a control diet (lactalbumin-LA). The growth characteristics of the tumour cells in PHA- and LA-fed mice were quite different; in mice on the PHA diet the growth rate was initially very slow, but increased greatly between days 5-8 and 9-12, while in mice fed on LA the rate increased progressively during the observation period. It is thus apparent that inclusion of PHA in the diet results in an initial low rate of proliferation of the tumour cells. In LA-fed mice the volume of ascitic fluid measured 7 days after i.p. injection of Krebs II cells was about threefold higher than that in mice maintained on the PHA diet. The results suggest a correlation between exposure to the PHA diet and a rapid event occurring in the host which leads to a transient reduction in cell growth and slows down the production of ascites tumours.
authors.affiliation: ROWETT RES INST,ABERDEEN AB2 9SB,SCOTLAND.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pryme
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pusztai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bardocz