Alteration of zinc concentrations in the brain implanted with C6 glioma

The uptake of zinc, an essential element, is critical not only for cell proliferation but also cell functions. On the basis of the evidence suggesting that preferential uptake of 65Zn in brain tumors may be associated with avid cell proliferation, alteration of zinc concentrations in the brain implanted with C6 glioma was studied by brain autoradiography using 65Zn. After implantation of C6 glioma cells into the hippocampus, 65Zn concentrations in the brain were compared between 1 h and 6 days after intravenous injection of 65ZnCl(2). The 65Zn concentration in the tumor 1 h after the injection was approximately twice as high as that 6 days after the injection. However, the 65Zn concentration in the tumor 6 days after the injection was higher than in any other brain region. These results suggest that zinc taken up in the tumor may be utilized for tumor cell proliferation and that there is greater potential in the use of 69mZn, a short-half life gamma-emitter, for evaluation of the viability of brain tumors.