ACID MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES IN SILICONE-INDUCED TUMORS OF RATS

Determination was made of the acid mucopolysaccharide content in a tumor induced by subcutaneous imbedding of silicone in Sprague-Dawley rats. The acid mucopolysaccharides in fibroma and fibroadenoma proved to be hyaluronic acid and chondroitinsulfate B. Fibrosarcoma and fibrosarcoma transformed or being transformed from fibroma contained, in addition to these substances, chondroitinsulfate A. Only fibroadenoma additionally contained a very small amount of heparin or heparin-like material. No difference was found in the amounts of acid mucopolysaccharides contained in tumor tissue among silicone-induced tumors. A ratio of chondroitinsulfate to hyaluronic acid was the highest in fibroadenoma.