Role of iron in lymphoma-induction by ATP.

Iron complexed by ATP induces lymphomas in mouse organs other than the specific targets of the lympho-adenitis provoked by sodium ATP: lymph nodes, spleen and liver. The reduction of life spans and the production of substantial volumes of ascites, that are lacking in the case of sodium ATP, are an index of the degree of malignancy of the induced lymphomas. On the basis of the known characteristics of iron-ATP complex of cellular calcium homeostasis alteration, the mechanism of these phenomena is discussed.