Effect of Folate-deficient Diet and 5-Fluorouracil Treatment In the zn VlVO Model of Mice L1210 Leukemia

SummaryThe present study investigated the effect of reduced folic acid content in the organism, due to deficient diet, on the survival time of mice with L1210 leukemia, treated with fluorouracil. One of the mechanisms of the cytotoxic effect of fluorouracil is the inhibition of thymidylate synthase by binding fluorodeoxyuridylate, a 5-fluorouracil metabolite. Tetrahydrofoliane factor, for which folic acid is the substrate, takes part in this process. From the presented study it follows that the synthetic diet prepared without the addition of folic acid caused significantly lower blood serum folic acid levels, reduction of vitamin Bl2 level, anemia, as well as lowered leukocyte count. The antineoplastic effect of fluorouracil on L1210 leukemia was in that group of mice weaker than the effect of fluorouracil in mice receiving synthetic diet which met their folic acid requirement.