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Metabolism of neoplastic tissue. III. Diphosphopyridine nucleotide requirements for oxidations by mitochondria of neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissues.

67

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0

References

1953

Year

Abstract

The oxidation of pyruvate and citric acid cycle components occurs readily and consistently in mitochondria of neoplastic tissues when these are fortified by the addition of DPN in rather high concentration. This DPN requirement cannot be replaced by other known coenzymes or adenine nucleotides. On a per milligram nitrogen basis, oxidations by such fortified mitochondria of neoplastic tissues were quantitatively similar to their non-neoplastic counterparts. The suggestion is made that mitochondria of neoplastic tissues do not bind DPN as strongly as certain normal tissues, and that this may result in a correspondingly higher level of this coenzyme in the soluble portion of the cell cytoplasm. It is further suggested that this phenomenon may account for the charasteristically high glycolysis rates of intact tumor cells.