Dietary phytohaemagglutinin slows down the proliferation of a mouse plasmacytoma (MPC-11) tumour in Balb/c mice

Ten days after subcutaneous injection of MPC-11 cells, plasmacytoma tumours which developed in female Balb/c mice fed on a diet containing the kidney bean lectin phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) at a concentration of 7.0 mg g−1 diet, weighed only about 38% of those fed a lactalbumin (La) control diet. The reduction in growth caused by the lectin appeared to occur in a dose-dependent manner but the values did not reach significance before PHA was at a concentration of 7.0 mg g− diet. Pre-feeding with the lectin caused a further 50% reduction in tumour weight. In contrast to the reduction in tumour size the inclusion of PHA in the diet elevated the mean dry weight of the small intestine in a dose-dependent manner, values reaching significance at 3.5 mg g− diet. The results showed that gut hyperplasia was able to occur even in the presence of the developing tumour. A lypolytic effect of PHA occurred at high concentration. The observations suggest that PHA itself does not have a direct effect on the tumour cells, but an inter-relationship between gut hyperplasia and decreased tumour growth is indicated.