Effects of selenium and vitamin B-6 on growth of chemically- induced transplanted tumors in BALB/c inbred mice

Abstract

Male weanling inbred, mice were inoculated with fibrosarcoma cells (hindquarter) originally produced by 2-methylcholanthrene. Before inoculation, mice were randomly divided into three groups of 24 and one of 12 (control). After a one week acclimation period, each group was fed a diet containing either suboptimal vitamin B-6, 0.5 mg/kg diet; adequate, 7.0 mg/kg diet; or excess, 100 mg/kg diet. Controls were fed the adequate vitamin. B-6 diet. Twenty-four hours after tumor cell inoculation, a series of sodium selenite injections (0.5 μg/.10 mL) were given to half of each treatment group and all controls. Mice were sacrificed two wk after tumor inoculation. Tumors were excised and weighed. Selenium-treated mice had significantly smaller tumors as compared to untreated mice regardless of vitamin B-6 treatment. The smallest tumors were found in the selenium-treated group maintained on adequate B-6, while the largest tumors were developed by mice on the excess B-6 diet without selenium treatments. All groups had similar blood selenium levels as measured by gas chromatography. Tumor selenium levels, analyzed by atomic absorption, were significantly higher for untreated groups than selenium-treated groups (larger tumor size). The excess and adequate vitamin B-6 selenium-treated groups had significantly lower tumor selenium levels than the adequate vitamin B-6 untreated group. Plasma pyridoxal phosphate (concentrations) determined radiometrically and tumor vitamin B-6 levels determined microbiologically, related directly to dietary treatments. Sodium selenite injections and adequate vitamin B-6 diets reduced the size of fibrosarcomas in BALB/c inbred mice.