Role of Deuterium in Biological Systems (part -3)

Studies of light water in the P.A.Gertsen Moscow Oncologic Research Institute (in vitro) and in the Institute of Carcinogenesis of N.N. Blokhin Cancer Research Center (in vivo) (jointly with Institute of Medical and Biological Problems of Russian Federation) confirmed the inhibitory effects of light water on the reproduction process of tumor cells and tumor growth [5,13].

Below are the results of the influence of water, with reduced deuterium content on the growth of tumor cells of three transplantable lines of human - adenocarcinoma of the breast MSF-7, melanoma SK.MEL-28 and epidermoid laryngeal cancer HEP-2, obtained by Professor Sergeeva N.S. and Dr. Sviridova I.S. (P.A. Gertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute). The content of deuterium in the growth medium ranged from 140 to 60 ppm (the content of deuterium in natural water in the Moscow region is 140-150 ppm).

 

The cell population growth dynamics of MCF-7 line in the culture medium with 140ppm (№ 1) and 60 ppm (№ 5) deuterium content (MTS Assay).

The cell population growth dynamics of SKMel-28 line in the culture medium with 140ppm (№ 1) and 60 ppm (№ 5) deuterium content (MTS Assay).

The cell population growth dynamics of Hep-2 line in the culture medium with 140ppm (№ 1) and 60 ppm (№ 5) deuterium content (MTS Assay).

  

The viability of tumor cells during prolonged cultivation (3-120 hours) in media with different concentrations of deuterium assessed using standard MTS and 3H-thymidine assays. In each particular case, for each deuterium concentration and time of cultivation, the value of the cell pool was calculated (relative to control one - the complete growth medium with standard deuterium content of 140 ppm). The optical density of alcohol solution of formazan was assessed by spectrophotometer MCC-340 (Sweden) at a wavelength of 540 nm. Accounting of related radioactivity in 3H-thymidine test was carried out on the counter Microbeta Plus 1450. As is known, MTS-test characterizes the viability of tumor cells, and 3H-thymidine test characterizes the synthetic activity of DNA in them.

Effect of deuterium content in the culture medium on the magnitude of the cellular pool (MTS test) and the synthetic activity of DNA (³H-thymidine test). Line SKMel-28.

Here the following facts have to be noted:

1. studied tumor cells were sensitive to deficiency of deuterium in the medium;
2. tumor cells of different lines respond differently to the lack of deuterium in the medium;
3. according to MTS-test data, the highest inhibition of cell growth (70%) was observed for the SKMel-28 line and the lowest (30%) - for the MSF-7 line;
4. changes in metabolic processes in tumor cells, tested ³H- thymidine and MTS methods, in various experiments had developed in different directions;
5. The time and dose dependence of changes in the cellular pool, when tumor cells were cultivated in media with low content of deuterium, is noted.

Analysis of the results suggested that the change in deuterium content in the water outside the cell affects the active transport of ions into the cell (primarily hydrogen ions) and out of it. For cancer cells, this effect is significant, the lower is the concentration of deuterium in the growth medium. High-speed division of tumor cells does not allow them to adapt to the deuterium shortage in the water outside the cells. This is likely violating the delicate "settings" of highly sensitive systems of cancer cells, which leads, ultimately, to their death. 

Note: Literature is given in "part - 1".