Sulfobetaine (dimethylsulfoniopropionate) and glycine betaine show incompatible involvement in crucial Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in mice.
OBJECTIVE
The role of methylation reactions in cancer was examined using the methylating agents, sulfobetaine [dimethylsulfonioproponate (DMSP)], and glycine betaine (GB), in murine crucial Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) for up to 10 days.


RESULTS
DMSP administration in EAC-bearing mice mitigated EAC, while GB administration clearly promoted EAC. However, the immune cell profiles did not differ largely between animals receiving DMSP and those receiving GB. Moreover, DMSP and GB had merely any effects on proliferation of EAC cells in vitro. Injection of DMSP into normal mice interestingly led to macrophage accumulation in the peritoneal cavity in a dose-dependent manner at early rearing.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that GB promoted EAC by the methylation of cancer promotor gene, whereas DMSP ameliorated EAC by the accumulation of activated macrophages with a rapid response and long life span during cancer progression.
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition, Graduate School of Koshien University, Hyogo, Japan fantasista999@gmail.com.
Kenji
K
Nakajima
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Graduate School of Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.
Yoshiki
Y
Nakajima
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition, Graduate School of Koshien University, Hyogo, Japan.
Satomi
S
Tsujiwaki
D000818:Animals; D001622:Betaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002286:Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice
D001622:Betaine; C483727:sulfobetaine
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate; Ehrlich ascites carcinoma; activated macrophages; betaine; methylation reaction