Abstract #1774

Robinson S, Griffiths J, Whitley G, Madhu B, Ansari S

Overexpression of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH), which metabolises endogenous inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase, indirectly increases nitric oxide (NO). NO has both pro- and anti-apoptotic effects. 1H MRS was used to assess control and DDAH overexpressing tumours prior to and 24 hours after treatment with taxotere. Following treatment, the choline concentration of control tumours significantly increased, but it did not change in tumours overexpressing DDAH. The data are consistent with DDAH overexpression conferring pro-apoptotic activity following taxotere treatment.