Mice deficient in the mitochondrial branched-chain aminotransferase (BCATm) respond with delayed tumour growth to a challenge with EL-4 lymphoma.

Background: The mitochondrial branched-chain aminotransferase (BCATm) is a recently discovered cancer marker with a poorly defined role in tumour progression.

Methods: To understand how a loss of function of BCATm affects cancer, the global knockout mouse BCATmKO was challenged with EL-4 lymphoma under different diet compositions with varying amounts of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Next, the growth and metabolism of EL-4 cells were studied in the presence of different leucine concentrations in the growth medium.