[Cobalamin levels in rats with transplanted Zajdela ascites hepatoma]

The level of cobalamines in the kidney and liver of healthy rats and rats with implanted Zajdela ascites hepatoma (ZAH) was examined. The results were compared with the data obtained from the rats with sarcoma M-1. It was shown that different tumors had dissimilar effects upon the level of total cobalamines. However, the ratio of free cobalamines to protein-bound cobalamines (cobalamine-protein complexes) varied. The concentration of cobalamine-protein complexes increased in the liver, kidney and in the tumor. The experiments with ZAH demonstrated that ZAH cells contained appreciable amounts of cobalamines, whereas the supernatant contained only a minor quantity of cobalamines. Injections of 5'-deoxyadenosyl-B12 increased the level of cobalamines in ZAH cells and had a low effect on the level of cobalamines in the supernatant.