EFFECT OF PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ ON THE GROWTH OF KREBS-II TUMOR-CELLS, BODY METABOLISM AND INTERNAL ORGANS OF MICE

Neoplastic proliferation requires the availability of polyamines. Phyt ohaemagglutinin (PHA) is a potent growth factor which induces polyamin e-dependent growth of the gut. In the hope of directing polyamines and other nutrients away from the tumour to the growing gut, mice fed PHA -containing or lactalbumin diets were injected intraperitoneally with Krebs II ascites cells and the number of tumour cells and the weights of internal organs were followed. PHA-treatment significantly slowed d own the proliferation of tumour cells. Changes in the weight and polya mine content of tissues indicated that inter-organ competition between the tumour and vital organs can be used to manipulate the metabolism of tumour-bearing mice.