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. Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) is a potent growth factor which induces polyamine-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 down the proliferation of tumour cells. Changes in the weight and polyamine 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.