A site of action for zinc in neoplastic tissue

The effect of dietary zinc levels on DNA synthesis in transplanted hepatomas induced by 3'-methyl-4-dimethyl-amino-azobenzene was investigated. DNA synthesis was found to be reduced (P less than 0,01) in rats maintained on diets low in zinc (0,5 mug/g) and high in zinc (less than 500 mug/g) when compared with the control animals given 60 mug zinc/g ration. Subsequently, the effect of dietary zinc intakes on the activity of 2 zinc-dependent enzymes associated with DNA synthesis--thymidine kinase and DNA polymerase--was studied. Both thymidine kinase and DNA polymerase activity was significantly reduced in animals receiving the zinc-deficient (0,5 mug/g) and zinc-supplemented (less than 500 mug/g) diets when compared with the control animals (60 mug/g). The data indicated that the DNA synthesis was the primary locus associated with zinc deficiency and zinc supplementation in proliferating tumour tissue, and that the site of action of zinc in this process was probably thymidine kinase, since there was considerable doubt concerning the role of DNA polymerase in DNA synthesis.