INTENSITY OF NAD PRECURSOR UTILIZATION IN THE LIVER AND KIDNEYS OF INTACT AND TUMOR-BEARING MICE AND IN TUMOR-CELLS

Intensity of utilization of quinolinic, nicotinic acids and nicotinami de was studied in the kidneys and liver of normal mice (lines SHR, DBA 2, C57BL) and mice, bearing the Ehrlich ascites tumor, leukemia P 388, melanoma B16. Quinolinic acid and nicotinamide are shown to cause an increase in the concentration of NAD precursors in the liver and kidne y of normal mice. The interline differences consist in that in the liv er of the SHR mice quinolinic acid is utilized more intensively as com pared to nicotinamide, while in the liver of DBA and C57BL mice NAD co ncentration gets higher after nicotinamide administration. Quinolinic acid administered to the cells of the Ehrlich ascites tumor, leukemia P 388 and melanoma B16 induced no increase in NAD concentration. The E hrlich ascites tumor cells utilize both nicotinic acid and nicotinamid e for NAD biosynthesis, while P 388 and B16 cells utilize nicotinamide and to some extent nicotinic acid, respectively. Taking into account the fact that tumor cells do not use quinolinic acid for NAD biosynthe sis, it may be suggested for cancer prophylaxis.