Comparison of the circadian variation in cell proliferation in normal and neoplastic colonic epithelial cells

Circadian variations in cell proliferation in normal tissues have been recognised for many years but comparable phenomena in neoplastic tissues appear not to have been reported. Adenomas and carcinomas were induced in mouse colon by injection of dimethylhydrazine (DMH) and cell proliferation in these tumors was measured stathmokinetically. In normal intestine cell proliferation is fastest at night whereas in both adenomas and carcinomas it was found to be slower at night than in the middle of the day. Chemical sympathectomy was found to abolish the circadian variation in tumor cell proliferation.