• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 1994

We evaluated the effect of nicotinamide on cellular $O_{2}$ consumption and metabolic status i.e., adenylate phosphates and $NAD^{+}$in-vitro, and changes in blood flow in-vivo, to determine whether changes in cellular metabolism or increased oxygen availability, was responsible for increased tumor oxygenation. Thirty min, pre-incubation of cells with$\∼$4mM (= 500mg/kg) nicotinamide resulted in no change in cellular $O_{2}$ consumption. Similarly neither the adenylate Phosphates nor the cellular $NAD^{+}$levels were altered in the presence of $\∼$4mM nicontinamide. In-vivo, nicotinamide (500mg/kg) increased $O_{2}$ availability as estimated by changes in relative tumor blood flow (RBC flux). The changes in RBC flux measured by the laser Doppler method, were tumor volume dependent and increased from$\∼$35$ \% $ in$\∼$ 150$mm_{3}$tumors to$\∼$~75$ \% $ in$\∼$500$mm^{3}$ tumors. In conclusion, these observations indicate a reduction in local tissue $O_{2}$ consumption is not a mechanism of improved tumor oxygenation by nicotinamide in FSa II murine tumor model. The primary mechanism of increased $pO_{2}$ appears to be an increased local tumor blood flow.