THE RELATION OF DIET, HORMONES, AND TUMORS TO THE ACTIVITY OF LIVER XANTHINE OXIDASE IN THE RAT

Abstract

The activity of liver xanthine oxidase and of adenosine deaminase in rats was reduced to a low value when the animals were fed a low protein diet. This did not occur in tumor-bearing animals on the same diet. The maintenance of enzyme activity in the tumor-bearing animals could not be attributed to induced enzyme formation or to alteration in hormonal control, but may be associated with an increase in purine catabolism.