Effect of Deuterium Oxide on Rat Sarcoma R-39

Abstract

Conclusions

1. Heavy water in concentrations of 0.11% had no demonstrable effect on 4 normal rats. 2. No effect was observed in 44 of 50 rats inoculated with rat sarcoma R-39 to which the same concentration of heavy water was given. 3. However, 0.11% deuterium oxide seemed to have a stimulating effect on rat sarcoma R-39 in 6 of 50 rats so treated.

The work of Lewis 1 on the inhibiting effect of deuterium oxide (heavy water) on the germination of tobacco seeds and the investigations of Barnes 2 showing the suppression of cell division in spirogyra by dilute solutions of deuterium oxide led us to study its effects on tumor tissue. Recently Woglom and Weber 3 reported that 0.40 to 0.42% deuterium oxide had no demonstrable effect on the growth of mouse sarcoma 180 or mouse carcinoma 63. Unaware of the above work we have been studying the effect of deuterium oxide on rat sarcoma R-39 for the past few months.

The deuterium oxide was obtained and analyzed by one of us (S. Y.) through the courtesy of Dr. Lloyd H. Reyerson of the Department of Chemistry. It was refluxed with acid dichromate, distilled, refluxed with potassium permanganate, and distilled again. Analysis by a density measurement showed the water to contain 0.11% deuterium oxide. The water was sterilized by autoclaving before use. No effect was noted in 4 normal rats, and 2 guinea pigs that received one cubic centimeter of this heavy water intraperitoneally every third day for 4 doses. This is in line with the work of Macht and Davis, 4 who found no detectable effect in mice which were injected with 0.05% deuterium oxide.

Rats with rat sarcoma R-39 were received from Dr. F. C. Wood of the Institute for Cancer Research, Columbia University, and transplants from these tumors were made into young stock rats weighing 60–90 gm. This tumor was selected as it is reported to take in 100% of cases; in this study, however, we obtained takes in only 86% of cases. The rats successfully inoculated with the tumor were divided into 3 groups; one group of 50 rats had one cubic centimeter of 0.11% deuterium oxide injected in and around the tumor every other day until 10 doses were given; the second group of 50 rats received one cubic centimeter of sterile water in and around the tumor for a similar period of time; a third group of 20 rats received no treatment. The diet consisted of Champion Mink food throughout the experiment.