Vitamin B6 kills hepatoma cells in culture

Abstract

Data are presented which indicate that vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) can retard and eventually kill Fu5–5 rat hepatoma cells in culture. Additional studies indicate that the human kidney cell line 293–31, and a rat glial cell strain, C6, display growth characteristics similar to those of hepatoma cells when cultured in 5 mM pyridoxine‐supplemented medium. However, the pyridoxine‐supplemented culture medium had little effect on the growth of the human mammary cancer cell line MCF‐7. The resistance of the MCF‐7 cells to growth inhibition by vitamin B6 suggests that the vitamer pyridoxine must be metabolized to pyridoxal before it can act as a growth inhibitor. These findings suggest the potential use of vitamin B6 as an antineoplastic agent. Possible mechanisms by which vitamin B6 promotes this effect are presented.