Depletion of dietary arginine inhibits growth of metastatic tumor
T. J. Yeatman, G. L. Risley and M. E. Brunson
Department of Surgery, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77036.
The effects of dietary arginine on the growth of a murine colon tumor
metastatic to the liver were examined in a model of advanced neoplastic
disease. Tumor growth was influenced by arginine both in vivo and in vitro.
An arginine-supplemented diet stimulated tumor growth by 55% compared with
controls. Conversely, an arginine-depleted diet inhibited tumor growth by
78% compared with controls. In vitro culture of both murine and human colon
tumor cells confirmed that arginine was necessary for cell growth.
Flow-cytometric analysis using propidium iodide and bromodeoxyuridine
suggested that colon tumor cells cultured without arginine enter a
quiescent S phase and depend on arginine for further growth and cell cycle
progression. The potential roles for selective dietary arginine modulation
in patients with cancer with advanced disease are discussed.
