Growth inhibition of subcutaneously transplanted hepatomas without cachexia by alteration of the dietary arginine-methionine balance

• Published in: Nutrition and cancer Vol. 31; no. 1; p. 49
• Main Authors: Millis, R.M. (Howard University, Washington, DC.), Diya, C.A, Reynolds, M.E, Dehkordi, O, Bond, V. Jr
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 1998
• Subjects: ANIMAL MODELS; Animals; ARGININA; ARGININE; Arginine - administration & dosage; BODY WEIGHT; Cachexia; CARENCE EN SUBSTANCE NUTRITIVE; COMPLEMENT ALIMENTAIRE; CRECIMIENTO; CROISSANCE; DEFICIENCIAS NUTRITIVAS; DIET; DIETA; EXCES DE SUBSTANCE NUTRITIVE; EXCESO DE NUTRIENTES; EXPERIMENTACION; EXPERIMENTATION; FISIOLOGIA DE LA NUTRICION; GROWTH; INGESTION DE NUTRIENTES; INGESTION DE SUBSTANCES NUTRITIVES; INHIBICION; INHIBITION; INTERACCIONES NUTRIENTE NUTRIENTE; INTERACTION NUTRIMENT NUTRIMENT; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - pathology; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - prevention & control; Male; METHIONINE; Methionine - administration & dosage; Methionine - analogs & derivatives; METIONINA; MODELE ANIMAL; MODELOS ANIMALES; Neoplasm Transplantation; NEOPLASMAS; NEOPLASME; NEOPLASMS; NUTRIENT BALANCE; NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES; NUTRIENT EXCESSES; NUTRIENT INTAKE; NUTRIENT NUTRIENT INTERACTIONS; NUTRITION PHYSIOLOGY; PESO; PESO CORPORAL; PHYSIOLOGIE DE LA NUTRITION; POIDS; POIDS CORPOREL; PROTEIN REPLACEMENT; RAT; RATA; RATS; Rats, Inbred ACI; REGIME ALIMENTAIRE; SINERGISMO; SUPLEMENTOS; SUPPLEMENTS; SYNERGISM; SYNERGISME; TRANSPLANTATION; TRASPLANTES; WEIGHT; Weight Gain
• ISSN: 0163-5581; 1532-7914
• DOI: 10.1080/01635589809514677

Previous studies have shown that alteration of the dietary arginine-methionine balance by use of synthetic L-amino acids inhibits tumor growth of a subcutaneously transplanted Morris hepatoma at the expense of maintaining body weight. However, L-methionine is susceptible to degradation and, therefore, may contribute to a deficiency state. The present studies were performed to determine whether growth of subcutaneous hepatoma transplants is inhibited, and body growth maintained, when rats are fed diets containing L-methionine in replacement of N-acetyl-L-methionine (NALM) for 28 days. Tumor-free and tumor-bearing rats fed a control diet, with amino acids replacing protein, had gains in body weight: 31.3 +/- 1.0 and 19.1 +/- 0.5 g (12% and 7%), respectively. Rats fed six experimental diets, with varying L-arginine-NALM balances, had body weight gains ranging from 18.4 +/- 0.3 to 26.7 +/- 0.9 g (7-10%). Tumor weight of control rats was 10.65 +/- 0.24% of body weight. Diets supplemented with L-arginine in combination with normal and deficient NALM decreased tumor weights by 35% and 38%, respectively. It is concluded that dietary replacement of L-methionine with NALM and supplementation with L-arginine inhibits growth of a subcutaneously transplanted Morris hepatoma in the absence of cachexia