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Influence of Dietary Tryptophan on the Induction of -Glutamyltranspeptidase-positive Foci in the Livers of Rats Treated with Hepatocarcinogen¹

Department of Pathology, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC

The ingestion of an elevated level (2%) of L-tryptophan (TRP) in a purified diet was investigated to determine whether it would influence the induction of -glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT)-positive foci in the livers of rats exposed to a hepatocarcinogen. Subtotal hepatectomies were performed, and 18 h later, the rats were given injections i.p. of diethylnitrosamine (30 mg/kg). Ten days later, groups of male rats were placed on choline-supplemented (CS), CS + TRP, choline-deficient (CD), or CD + TRP diets for 10 wk. In two separate experiments, the rats fed the CS + TRP diet or the CD diet developed more and larger GGT + foci than did rats fed the CS diet. Rats fed the CD + TRP diet revealed similar changes to those found in rats fed the CD diet. The liver weights of the rats fed the CD or the CD + TRP diet were greater than those of rats fed the CS or the CS + TRP diet. Hepatic GGT activity was somewhat elevated in rats fed the CS + TRP diet and markedly elevated in rats fed the CD or the CD + TRP diet. Hepatic omithine decarboxylase activity was increased in rats fed the CD + TRP diet. The results suggest that increased dietary tryptophan has a promoting effect on liver carcinogenesis as measured by the induction of GGT + foci in the livers of rats exposed to diethylnitrosamine. A potentiating effect by tryptophan was not observed in the livers of rats fed a CD diet.

¹ This investigation was supported by USPHS Research Grants CA-26557 and CA-31324 awarded by the National Cancer Institute, Department of Health and Human Services.

Received 10/23/84. Revised 6/28/85. Accepted 7/ 9/85.