Hirst D G, Hirst V K, Joiner B, Prise V, Shaffi K M
CRC Gray Laboratory, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, Middlesex, UK.
Br J Cancer. 1991 Jul;64(1):54-8. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1991.238.
The ability of cancer cells to survive at a distance from blood vessels should be dependent on the local supply of nutrients to each vessel. The corded growth of tumour cells around blood vessels within regions of necrosis in the RH carcinoma in the mouse allows the limit to which cells can be supported by individual vessels to be observed. The thickness of individual tumour cords was measured in conventionally stained tumour sections using a scanning technique to determine the distance between the blood vessel wall and the most distant viable cell adjacent to necrosis. Cord radius was found to vary with the oxygen supply conditions. Control animals had a mean radius of 105 +/- 2 microns while animals that had breathed 10% oxygen had significantly narrower cords (93 +/- 3 microns after 48 h) and animals breathing 100% oxygen had significantly wider cords (117 +/- 3 microns after 24 h). Mice made anaemic (mean hct. 28%) by phlebotomy and plasma transfusion had cord radii that were not significantly different from controls at any time up to 48 h. We conclude that this relatively slow growing mouse tumour is capable of rapid morphological adaptation (less than 3 h) to changes in nutrient availability and that oxygen is probably the limiting substrate.
癌细胞在远离血管处存活的能力应取决于每个血管的局部营养供应。小鼠RH癌坏死区域内血管周围肿瘤细胞的条索状生长，使得能够观察到单个血管支持细胞的极限。在常规染色的肿瘤切片中，使用扫描技术测量单个肿瘤条索的厚度，以确定血管壁与邻近坏死区域的最远存活细胞之间的距离。发现条索半径随氧气供应条件而变化。对照动物的平均半径为105±2微米，而吸入10%氧气的动物的条索明显变窄（48小时后为93±3微米），吸入100%氧气的动物的条索明显变宽（24小时后为117±3微米）。通过放血和输血使小鼠贫血（平均血细胞比容28%），在长达48小时的任何时间，其条索半径与对照相比均无显著差异。我们得出结论，这种生长相对缓慢的小鼠肿瘤能够在形态上迅速（不到3小时）适应营养可用性的变化，并且氧气可能是限制底物。
