EFFECT OF HUMAN MAMMARY MX-1 TUMOR ON PLASMA-FREE FATTY-ACIDS IN FASTED AND FASTED-REFED NUDE-MICE

We hypothesized that tumor-bearing (TB) nude mice, because they are reported to have no detectable, circulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF)/cachectin, would regulate their plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels normally when fasted and refed. We compared levels of individual plasma FFA in response to fasting (24 hr) and to refeeding (for 20 hr after fasting) a fat-free, 65% sucrose diet in control, nude mice and in mice bearing 1.3 +/- 0.4 g MX-1 tumors. Total plasma FFA levels were typically high in 24-hr fasted mice [mean concentrations in mu-M +/- SE (n); controls 515 +/- 63 (6); TB, 625 +/- 63 (6)]. FFA levels were reduced by 65% in each group in response to refeeding. Each major plasma FFA species fell in response to refeeding, except arachidonate, which did not change significantly (fasted vs. fasted-refed concentrations) in either controls or TB mice. In refed mice, the molar FFA ratio of oleate to linoleate rose; however, that of oleate to arachidonate fell markedly. TB nude mice had normal appetites. We conclude that all species of FFA were mobilized from adipose tissue in a normal manner in TB nude mice; therefore, regulation of adipose triacylglycerol fatty acid mobilization (as plasma FFA) by dietary sugar is probably not affected by MX-1 tumor growth in these mice. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that nude mice may be unable to secrete TNF/cachectin in response to tumor growth, but they do not establish whether or not endogenous, circulating TNF/cachectin increases FFA mobilization in any TB animal.