Effect of leupeptin, a protease inhibitor, on the development of spontaneous tumors in strain A mice
Hosaka, S.; Hirono, I.
Gan 71(6): 913-917
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0016-450X PMID: 7274634 Document Number: 159985
The effect of leupeptin, protease inhibitor from various Actinomycetes, on the development of spontaneous tumors was studied in strain A mice. Three week old mice were divided into 2 groups. One group was fed a diet containing 0.1% leupeptin; the other was fed a basal diet. The experiment was terminated 480 days after the start of administration of the leupeptin diet. Almost all animals survived until the end of the experiment. In the leupeptin diet group 15 of 50 mice developed liver tumors (14 of 25 males and 1 of 25 females). In the control group, only male mice developed liver tumors (4 of 23 males). There was a significant difference between the liver tumor incidences in males fed leupeptin diet and basal diet, but there was not in the case of females.