| Abstract: | The effect of three feeding schedules on tumor and host were examined in Lewis Lung bearing (TB) and nontumor bearing (NTB) C57/B1 mice. Both NTB and TB animals were divided into three groups: the control groups which were fed ad libitum; the intermittent fed (IMF) groups were fed for 32 hr and fasted for 16 hr in each 48-hr cycle, and the alternate day fed (ADF) groups were fed for a 24-hr interval in each 48-hr cycle. The animals were killed at the end of the fifteenth day, following a fed day for all groups. In the NTB groups, only the ADF group showed decreased food intake and lower body weight gain as compared to their control group. In the TB mice, as compared to their control group, the IMF group showed a significant reduction in the mean tumor weight with no change in the mean host weight, even though the daily food intakes of these two groups were the same over the experimental interval. In contrast, the ADF group showed reductions in both host and tumor weights as compared to their control group. The tumor to host weight ratios were significantly reduced for both the IMF and ADF groups as compared to the ratios found for the control groups, which suggests a differential effect on the tumor and on the host due to the feeding schedule. As assessed by the protein, RNA, and DNA concentrations, no compositional differences were noted for the tumors obtained from the animals that were maintained on each of the three different feeding schedules. In the NTB mice, no differences in tissue leucine (Leu) oxidation occurred between the groups for liver and skeletal muscle, whereas in the TB animals in vitro Leu oxidation capability by skeletal muscle specimens was markedly enhanced in the ADF group, but no difference was noted for the IMF group of the TB mice when compared to the control group. Taken together, these results suggest that the 32-hr fed:16-hr fast schedule (IMF) was beneficial and the 24-hr fed:24-hr fast schedule was detrimental compared to the ad libitum feeding schedule with respect to tumor and host relationships. |
