Inhibitory effect of d-glucosamine and other sugar analogs on the viability and transplantability of ascites tumor cells.

Abstract

Summary d-Glucosamine has been shown to have a powerful cytotoxic effect on various ascites tumor lines, resulting in a decrease in viability and transplantability of the neoplastic cells. The toxic effect of glucosamine was not significantly altered by addition of either glucose or pyruvate. The effects of d-glucosamine and other sugar analogs were evident histologically even before the cells became stainable by trypan blue. d-Galactosamine and d-mannosamine also reduced the viability and transplantability of ascites tumor cells similar to that of d-glucosamine. However, the N-acetylhexosamines caused only a minor decrease in cell viability, and these cells developed tumors when inoculated into mice. d-Mannose was the only neutral sugar showing a cytotoxic effect on ascites tumor cells.