Abstract
The present article deals with some cytological effects of glucuronic acid, Na-glucuronate, glucuronic amide and pyridoxal phosphate upon tumor cells of transplantable ascites tumors of the rat (MTK-sarcoma III), and the mouse (Ehrlich carcinoma) in vivo, and upon HeLa cells in vitro, with particular regard to the morphological response of tumor cells to the drugs, as well as to the life days of tumor-bearing animals. The procedure of chemical treatments was as follows:
(1) Daily intraperitoneal injections of Na-glucuronate at a dose of 100mg/100g body weight were made in 8 healthy Wistar rats for 30 days before transfer of the MTK-sarcoma III. On the day of tumor transfer, the rats thus treated with Na-glucuronate were divided into two groups. The one group received no more injections of the agent, while the other received intraperitoneally the same agent daily for successive days after tumor transfer.
(2) Single, as well as repeated injections of glucuronic acid, Na-glucuronate, glucuronic amide and pyridoxal phosphate at doses of 10, 50, 100 and 500mg/100g were intraperitoneally administered to rats (Wistar strain) or mice (AKR strain) bearing the MTK-sarcoma III or Ehrlich carcinoma.
(3) HeLa cells cultured for 48 to 72 hours were treated with glucuronic acid, Na-glucuronate, glucuronic amide and pyridoxal phosphate dissolved in culture medium at dose levels of 10, 50 and 100γ/ml.
Samplings were made at various intervals following chemical treatments. Squashed preparations with acetic dahlia for ascites tumors and stained preparations with May-Grünwald-Giemsa and with periodic acid schiff (PAS) for HeLa cells were made for cytological observations.
In every case examined, neither suppression of tumors nor the prolongation of life of tumor-bearing animals were observed. The tumor cells seemed to be quite healthy in general features, with a slight increase in mitotic frequency in comparison with that of nontreated controls. In HeLa cells at 3-6-hour-treatment with all the agents, fine cytoplasmic granules appeared, being positive to PAS reaction.
