EFFECTS OF BUSPIRONE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MOLONEY SARCOMA VIRUS-INDUCED TUMORS IN STRESSED MICE

The effects of buspirone (1 mg/kg i.p.) on the development of autochthonous tumours induced by the Moloney sarcoma virus (MSV) were studied in BALB/c female mice subjected to a chronic auditory stressor. The stress schedule was found to induce an inhibitory response on tumour growth and incidence when administered before the tumour was inoculated with MSV. On the contrary both growth and incidence were increased in mice exposed to the stressor after the tumour was inoculated, together with a delay in the regression of the tumours. Treatment with buspirone was found partially to reverse the adverse effects of post-inoculation stress on tumour growth, but it did not affect the inhibitory response to the pre-inoculation administration of stress.