Tumor Induction in Monkeys after Administration of Dimethylhydrazine

1,2-Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) was administered subcutaneously to nine Macaca fascicularis monkeys (6 males and 3 females) at doses of 16 mg/kg body weight, three times a month for two years. Colon cancer was detected in two male monkeys after total DMH doses of 1080 and 3696 mg (528 and 400 mg/kg body wt., respectively). A uterine tumor was induced in one female monkey which received 3648 mg of DMH (608 mg/kg body wt.). Latent periods of tumor development were 34, 47 and 55 weeks, respectively. Histologically, the colon tumors had the structure of adenocarcinoma in both cases and the uterine tumor was diagnosed as flbromyoma.     

Tumor induction in monkeys after administration of dimethylhydrazine.

1,2-Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) was administered subcutaneously to nine Macaca fascicularis monkeys (6 males and 3 females) at doses of 16 mg/kg body weight, three times a month for two years. Colon cancer was detected in two male monkeys after total DMH doses of 1080 and 3696 mg (528 and 400 mg/kg body wt., respectively). A uterine tumor was induced in one female monkey which received 3648 mg of DMH (608 mg/kg body wt.). Latent periods of tumor development were 34, 47 and 55 weeks, respectively. Histologically, the colon tumors had the structure of adenocarcinoma in both cases and the uterine tumor was diagnosed as fibromyoma.     

Early detection of cancer-associated gene alterations in DNA isolated from rat feces during intestinal tumor-induction with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine

A highly sensitive mutation detection method was applied to reveal tarry K-ras alterations in exfoliated intestinal epithelium of Fischer-344 rats during the course of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced carcinogenesis. Ten weekly s.c. injections of DMH (50 mg/kg) in combination with consumption of a low-fiber diet resulted in 100% incidence of intestinal tumors at 20 weeks after initial DMH injection. Analysis of DNA extracted from fresh fecal samples obtained individually showed that proportion of codon 12 K-ras oncogene mutant alleles (G-->A transition at the second position of codon 12) was increased in some rats at 4 weeks and clearly in all rats at 8 weeks after initial DMH injection, i.e. much earlier than the first tumors appeared (14 weeks). A gradual increase of mutant K-ras fraction in DNA samples extracted from feces led to an extremely high level of the mutant reaching 10% of the oncogene alleles at the end of the experiment (20 weeks). K- and H-ras oncogene and p53 tumor suppressor gene mutations were analyzed in the resulting colon and duodenal tumors. 14 of 17 colon tumors had K-P as mutations (11 - G-->A transition at codon 12 second base; 3 - G-->A transition at codon 13 second base). G-->A transitions at codon 12 first base of H-ras were detected in 3 colon tumors. All 5 duodenal tumors induced in the experiment had G-->A transition at codon 12 second base of K-ras. 3 of these tumors also had H-ras mutations. No mutation was detected within exons 4-7 of p53 gene indicating that p53 alterations may not be involved in the rapid development of tumors induced by high doses of DMH. Our observations suggest that detection of K-ras mutations in stool samples are predictive of later tumor development from a very early stage.     

The effect of endotoxin on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colonic tumors in rats

The effect of endotoxin on colon tumors was studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Colon tumors were induced in weanling rats by the administration of 20 weekly subcutaneous injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). When colon tumors were detected by colonoscopy in 80% of the rats around week 24 after DMH injection, the animals were divided randomly into two groups. One group served as the control. The other group received six endotoxin (Escherichia coli) treatments every fifth day. The first dose was 50 micrograms/100 g (intraperitoneally); the remaining doses were 100 micrograms/100 g (subcutaneously). Rats were killed 2 weeks after the last endotoxin injection. Endotoxin treatments resulted in larger colon tumors. The median tumor size was 71 mm2 for endotoxin-treated and 31 mm2 for untreated rats (P less than 0.02). Endotoxin treatments also resulted in a significantly higher incidence (P less than 0.05) of ulcer development in the small intestine, that is 47% in the endotoxin-treated versus 23% in the untreated rats. After a single subcutaneous injection of endotoxin (100 micrograms/100 g), the colon mucosal reduced glutathione (GSH) level was raised by 21% at 16 hours, reached a peak on day 2, then decreased to baseline by day 4. The increased GSH level in the colon mucosa was maintained up to the third endotoxin injection. By the fifth injection, no increase in the GSH level was observed. These results suggest that the growth of colon tumors in rats induced by DMH could be enhanced by endotoxin treatments. The enhanced tumor growth may be due to an increase in the colon GSH level and/or other mediators released by macrophages as a result of endotoxin treatments.     

Azoxymethane-induced colon tumors and aberrant crypt foci in mice of different genetic susceptibility

Azoxymethane (AOM) is an organotropic colon carcinogen that is commonly used to induce colon tumors in rodents. Unlike its parent compound, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), a tumor susceptibility phenotype in inbred mice with respect to AOM has not been established. Thus, this study was undertaken to determine whether genetic susceptibility extends to this carcinogen. SWR/J, A/J (both susceptible to DMH carcinogenesis) and AKR/J (resistant) mice were treated with 10 mg/kg AOM i.p. once a week for 8 weeks. Twenty-five weeks after the initial injection, tumor yield was determined. With a single exception, only SWR/J and A/J mice developed tumors, with a distribution that was limited to the distal colon (16.3±1.1 and 36.4±2.4, respectively). The formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), putative preneoplastic lesions, was also assessed in whole-mount colons using Methylene Blue staining. Consistent with tumor multiplicity, the total number of ACF was highest in A/J mice, followed by SWR/J mice. In addition, A/J mice had a significantly greater number of large ACF (five or more crypts per foci) than the other strains. Despite the absence of colon tumors, however, AKR/J mice did develop a significant number of ACF. This finding suggests that ACF in resistant mice are persistent but do not progress to tumors.     

Modification by five antioxidants of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-initiated colon carcinogenesis in F344 rats

The effects of antioxidants given in the post initiation phaseof colon tumor development were investigated in male F344 ratstreated with 1 ,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). Animals (20/group)were given s.c. injections of DMH at a dose of 20 mg/kg oncea week for four consecutive weeks. One week after the last injection,rats were fed diet containing 5% sodium L-asorbate (SA), 0.5%butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), 0.8% ethoxyquin (EQ), 1.0% propylgallate or 0.5% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) for 36 weeks.A control group was fed the basal diet not containing antioxidants.The experiment was terminated 40 weeks after the first injectionof DMH and all intestinal tumors were confirmed histologically.SA significantly increased the incidence of adenomas and thenumber of tumors per rat of the colon (especially of the distalcolon). Although EQ and BHT did not affect the number of ratswith colon tumors, the number of tumors per rat occurring inthe distal colon was significantly increased by EQ while beingdecreased by BHT. No modification of tumor development was observedwith BHA or PG. Thus, modification of tumor development by SA,EQ and BHT was apparent, mainly in the distal colon.     

Distribution of preneoplastic lesions and tumors, and beta-catenin gene mutations in colon carcinomas induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine plus dextran sulfate sodium

Mucin-depleted foci (MDF) are considered as useful biomarkers in rat colon carcinogenesis. The purpose of the present study was to examine the mechanism(s) underlying rat colon carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) plus 1% Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS). Twelve male F344 rats were given subcutaneous injections (40mg/kg body) of DMH twice a week. They received DSS in the drinking water for 1 week after the first injection of DMH and then were maintained on tap water. The rats were sacrificed at 10 and 14 weeks after the first injection of DMH. Colon tissues were divided into 10 segments from anus to cecum (A/J) and stained with Alcian blue (AB) to identify MDF. We found that MDF and tumors were induced in the rat colon after treatment with DMH plus DSS and that the number of MDF in each segment of the colon was significantly correlated with that of tumors (p=0.006). In addition, we found that the beta-catenin protein was accumulated in cytoplasm and nuclei of MDF and the frequent beta-catenin gene mutations in the colon tumors. These results suggest that MDF is closely related to rat colon carcinogenesis induced by DMH plus DSS.     

The tumor-preventing effect of a mixture of several lactic acid bacteria on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis in mice

The anti-tumor effect of a dietary supplement obtained from mixed cultures of several lactic acid bacteria was examined in the colon of tumor-inducing ICR male mice by use of a carcinogen, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH, 20 mg/kg body weight, 1 intra-muscular injection per week for 10 weeks). The animals were sacrificed either 15 weeks or 24-26 weeks after the first carcinogen injection. Macroscopically, the incidence of colon tumors at a 24-26 week period of tumor induction was apparently lower in mice treated with both the DMH and dietary supplement (76%) than in those treated with DMH alone (100%). Histologically, microadenomas were induced predominantly in the anal half of the total colon, and large lymphoid aggregates were often associated with dysplastic crypts in the distal colon. Apoptotic cell masses were shed into the distended lumen of the involved crypts. The statistical analysis at a 15-week period of tumor induction indicated that the incidence of microadenomas per tumor-induced mouse was lowered significantly by use of the dietary supplement. From the present results, it is suggested that the intake of the dietary supplement inhibits the early development of colon adenomas, and the inhibition of microadenomas results in a reduction of subsequent polyp and tumor yield in the mouse colon.     

Effects of sodium cholate on experimental carcinogenesis and cell proliferation in an excluded colonic segment

Bile salts appear to be important promoters of colon carcinogenesis. This study was designed to assess the importance of the fecal stream in cholic acid-induced colon tumor promotion. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent transverse colostomy after induction with dimethylhydrazine (DMH) and the excluded distal colon was irrigated with saline or sodium cholate (23 microM) 5 times per week until sacrifice. Controls initially injected with saline were similarly treated. All surviving animals were sacrificed at 28 weeks after the last DMH injection. Five animals from each group were randomly chosen to assess tritiated thymidine labeling and distribution by autoradiography in normal appearing colon mucosa of irrigated bowel. Cholate irrigation failed to increase tumor yield or modify the proportion of adenomas and adenocarcinomas in this model. Paradoxically, fewer tumors per affected rat were noted with sodium cholate irrigation. Cholate irrigation also failed to affect crypt cellularity, thymidine labeling indices, and labeling distribution in DMH-treated rats and controls. An effect of DMH was seen, however, with an increase in thymidine labeling index and increased labeling in the top half of the crypt in all DMH-treated groups. This study suggests that tumor promotion with primary bile salts is not a direct affect and may result from further bile salt metabolism within the fecal stream. DMH-induced changes in cell proliferation were reproduced with this model. Use of an excluded colon segment to assess the effect of suspected tumor promoters on carcinogenesis or colon mucosal cell proliferation is feasible and may be a useful model for future studies.     

Colonoscopic colostomy model in rats for colon tumorigenesis studies

A colonoscopic colostomy model for colorectal carcinogenesisand chemoprevention was developed in F344 rats. The colon wastransected at the middle of the transverse colon and suturedto two openings. The proximal opening, located on the middleline of the upper abdominal wall, was for the exit of feces.The distal one located on the left back was the colostomy forthe lower part of colorectum, which was approximately 9 cm inlength and isolated from the feces. The two openings of thecolostomy were completely separated with at least 4 cm distancebetween them. The animals were treated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine(DMH) or methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAMAc) systemically ortopically. Colon tumors in the isolated colorectum were observedby colonoscopy. Twenty six tumors in the isolated colorectumwere found by colonoscopy with a mean latent period of 25.6weeks in 10/15 (66.6%) animals treated with DMH (30 mg/kg subcutaneously,weekly for 30 weeks). Twelve tumors were found by colonoscopywith a mean latent period of 32.8 weeks in 6/17 (35.3%) animalstreated with MAMAc (5 mg/kg enema, weekly for 35 weeks). Tumorswith 0.5 mm diameter were detected as early as 21 weeks followingthe first dose of DMH and 28 weeks following the first doseof MAMAc respectively. Video camera-assisted endoscopic examinationdetected suspected small tumors 6 weeks earlier than endoscopicevaluation alone. The number, size and location of the tumorsobserved by colonoscopy were significantly correlated with thoseobserved at necropsy. The tumor growth rate was monitored weekly.The tumor growth curve was expressed as the mean tumor diametersand calculated tumor volumes. Histological study at necropsyshowed that 48.1% of the tumors were adenomas and 51.9% wereadenocarcinomas. With a complete fecal diversion and colonoscopy,the model is potentially useful to study colon carcinogenesisand the inhibition of colon carcinogenesis.     

Chlorophyllin, an antimutagen, acts as a tumor promoter in the rat-dimethylhydrazine colon carcinogenesis model.

Chlorophyllin (CHL), the water soluble sodium/copper salt of chlorophyll, was investigated for its effect on colorectal cancer risk in the rat-dimethyldrazine colon carcinogenesis model. Ninety weanling Fisher 344 male rats were treated with five weekly injections of 1,2 dimethylhydrazine (DMH), 20 mg base/kg body weight. Rats had been previously divided into three groups, consuming either rat chow and water (Group I), rat chow and CHL 1.5 mM in water throughout the experiment (Group II), or water and rat chow during DMH injection, adding CHL 1.5 mM to the drinking water after completion of the DMH treatments. At sarcifice, the incidence and yield of colorectal tumors were as follows: Group I 10% and 0.1; Group II, 23% and 0.27; and Group III, 47% and 0.53 (p less than 0.005 for incidence and = 0.003 for yield). These data demonstrate that, though it is well established that CHL is an antimutagen, CHL in this colorectal carcinogenesis model acted as a tumor promoter.     

Effect of retinoids on the induction of colon cancer in F344 rats by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea or by 1,2-dimethyihydrazine

The possible modifying effect of synthetic and natural retinoidson the incidence of colon cancer in rats induced by 2 intrarectaldoses of 2.5 mg of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) given once aweek for 2 successive weeks or a single 150 mg/kg body weightdose of 1,2-dime-thylhydrazine (DMH), s.c. was investigated.Emphasis was on the effect of the development of early tumorsas visualized by endoscopy. With the retinoids N-ethyl-retinamide,N-2-hydroxyethylretinamide, N-(4-hydro- xyphenyl)-all-trans-retinamide(RAHA), and retinyl acetate (RA) administered orally after thecarcinogens, significant differences in early developing tumorswere not found. At histopathological examination of the tumorsthe RAHA + DMH group had significantly fewer adenomas per animal.The percentage of adenoma bearing rats was significantly lowerin groups receiving RAHA + DMH or RA + DMH. However, food consumptionwas lower in rats consuming either RAHA or RA. Retinyl palmitate(RP) and RAHA was administered intrarectally to MNU-inducedrats either before or after the carcinogen. When administeredbefore MNU, RP caused a significant increase in the percentageof tumor bearing animals and the average number of tumors peranimal as visualized endos copically. At histopathological examination,all retinoid groups except RAHA given after the carcinogen,produced significantly more adenomas per animal and a significantlygreater adenoma incidence than did the control groups. Thus,in two systems, the oral administration of retinoids did notclearly inhibit the early or later stages of colon tumor development.Inirarectal infusion of two retinoids had no effect on colonicmor phology but at histopathological examination of later stagetumors there was an enhanced adenoma response.     

Mucin-depleted foci have beta-catenin gene mutations, altered expression of its protein, and are dose- and time-dependent in the colon of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-treated rats

Mucin-depleted foci (MDF) are purported preneoplastic lesions that can be easily visualized in the unsectioned colon of carcinogen-treated rats stained with high-iron diamine alcian blue (HID-AB). In F344 rats treated twice with 150 mg/kg of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) and sacrificed after 5, 9, 13 and 28 weeks, MDF increased over time from 5 to 13 weeks, whereas they decreased at 28 weeks, when tumors appear. MDF multiplicity (crypts/MDF) linearly increased with time. Increasing doses of DMH (100, 150 and 200 mg/kg x 2 times) caused a dose-related increase in MDF. Mutations in Ctnnb1 gene codifying for beta-catenin were identified with PCR amplification and direct sequencing in 6/15 tumors (40%), 7/28 MDF (25%) and 2/27 (7%) aberrant crypt foci (ACF) identified in HID-AB-stained colon. All mutations in tumors and MDF caused amino acid substitution, while one mutation in ACF was silent. Beta-catenin detected at membrane level by immunohistochemistry was markedly reduced in MDF and tumors and, to a lesser extent, in ACF identified with HID-AB. By contrast, nuclear localization of beta-catenin was significantly increased in MDF and tumors, while no variation was observed in ACF. Beta-catenin cytoplasmic expression was also significantly increased in MDF and tumors but to a lesser extent in ACF. In conclusion, MDF are induced dose-dependently by DMH, increase in size with time, have mutations in the beta-catenin gene and marked alterations in beta-catenin cellular localization. Since all these phenomena are considered specific steps for colon tumorigenesis, these results further support the hypothesis that MDF are cancer precursors and can be proposed as endpoints in short-term carcinogenesis experiments.     

Influence of the rhythm and route of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine administration on its carcinogenic effect in mice

Effects of route of administration (subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, by stomach tube and with drinking water) and dose fractionation on the carcinogenicity of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) were studied in CBA and (C57B1/6j X CBA)F1 mice. Fractionation of DMH dose given subcutaneously exerted different effects on tumors at various sites: decrease of colon and anal tumor incidence, increase of vascular liver tumors and renal adenomas and no influence on hepatoma, lung adenoma and uterine sarcoma induction. When given with drinking water, DMH did not induce colon and anal tumors but produced high incidence of vascular neoplasms. No such effect was observed when DMH was administered weekly by stomach tube. Alteration of the organotropism of DMH given with drinking water is attributed by authors to the decrease of single DMH dose and not to peroral route of administration.     

Presence of well‐differentiated distal,but not poorly differentiated proximal,rat colon carcinomas is correlated with increased cell proliferation in and lengthening of colon crypts

To determine whether colon crypt proliferative parameters were significantly altered by the stage of colon carcinogenesis or the type or location of colon tumors in rats, male Sprague‐Dawley rats received an injection of the carcinogen 1,2‐dimethylhydrazine (12 mg DMH base/kg body weight) or DMH vehicle once a week for 8 weeks, then were killed 24 weeks later. Three hours before sacrifice, rats were injected with 1 mg/kg body weight colchicine to arrest mitotic cells at metaphase. Transverse sections of the colon mucosa were taken 6 cm from the anus and at least 3 cm from any tumor, fixed in formalin, then stained with hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) for analyses of proliferative parameters. Only complete, mid‐axial crypts were scored for mitotic count (MC), crypt proliferative zone (PZ) height and crypt height (CH). Serial tumor sections were stained with H&E for histological evaluation or used in immunohistochemical detection of transforming growth factor α (TGFα). DMH treatment significantly increased MC, PZ and CH regardless of tumor status. The PZ and CH of rats with a carcinoma located in the distal colon were significantly increased compared with DMH‐treated rats without an adenocarcinoma (AC) or with rats which had a tumor located in the proximal colon. Distal colon ACs were found to be well differentiated and to have greater TGFα immunoreactivity than the generally less differentiated proximal colon carcinomas. Distal colon AC production and systemic circulation of a soluble colon crypt stimulating factor such as TGFα may explain the significant increase in PZ and CH in histologically normal colonic mucosa located away from the tumor. Int. J. Cancer 80:68–71, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

A locus that influences susceptibility to 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon tumors maps to the distal end of mouse chromosome 3

While inheritance of mutated alleles of highly penetrant tumor suppressor genes such as retinoblastoma or p53 predisposes individuals to a greatly increased risk of developing cancer, epidemiological data indicate that the majority of sporadic tumors in humans result from interactions of environmental and host genetic factors. The host genetic factors are poorly penetrant tumor susceptibility genes that determine the likelihood that a cancer will arise from carcinogen exposure. The majority of colon tumors in humans are sporadic in nature. 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon tumors in mice provide a useful animal model to identify genes that influence susceptibility to carcinogen-induced colon tumors in humans. A genome-wide scan of genetic crosses of relatively sensitive C57BL/6J with relatively resistant CBA mice treated with DMH revealed a linkage of DMH susceptibility with the distal end of mouse chromosome 3, suggesting that one or more tumor susceptibility genes may map to this region.     

Inverse genetic predisposition to colon versus lung carcinogenesis in mouse lines selected based on acute inflammatory responsiveness

Mouse lines produced by bidirectional selection on the basis of maximum (AIRmax) or minimum (AIRmin) acute inflammatory reactions were examined for the development of chemically induced acute colitis and colon tumors and the development of lung tumors. AIRmax mice were more susceptible than AIRmin to acute colitis induced by ingestion of dextran sodium sulfate showing a 3-fold higher disease activity index and presenting an intense inflammatory infiltrate in the base of colon crypts as well as elevated expression of IL-1beta, TNFalpha, IFNgamma and IL-6 mRNA in colon tissue. AIRmax were also more susceptible than AIRmin to colon cancer induced by 2 or 7 weekly doses of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), showing significantly higher numbers of colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) at 150 days after DMH treatment (P = 0.01) and significantly higher numbers of tumors affecting larger intestinal areas at 300-475 days. At the latter time point, however, multiple lung adenomas and large adenocarcinomas were found in AIRmin but not in AIRmax mice. Treatment of mice with nimesulide for 60 days beginning 24 h before the first of two DMH doses almost completely inhibited the appearance of ACF in both lines. Furthermore, ACF numbers and the degree of acute inflammation directly co-segregated in an F2 (AIRmax x AIRmin) intercross population. The results demonstrate that genetic determinants of the inflammatory response differentially influence susceptibility to colon and lung carcinogenesis in the AIRmax and AIRmin mouse model.     

Cabbage and vitamin E: their effect on colon tumor formation in mice

The effects of cabbage and vitamin E on colon carcinogenesis were investigated in Swiss mice treated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine. Throughout the experiment the mice were fed a laboratory chow diet (46 mg vitamin E per kg) or chow containing 13 g cabbage per 100 g or 180 mg vitamin E per kg. Starting after 31 days of diet treatment the mice received 7 weekly s.c. injections of DMH. They were sacrificed 17 weeks after the first dose of DMH. While diet did not significantly alter colon tumor response, some trends were observed. Female mice given cabbage had a higher incidence (percent of mice with a tumor) and multiplicity (tumors per tumor bearing mouse) of colon tumors. Males were little affected by cabbage apart from a lower incidence of adenocarcinomas. Compared with mice fed the control diet those given vitamin E had a higher colon tumor incidence. This effect, which was stronger in females, was due to an increased incidence of adenomas. Vitamin E had little apparent affect on tumor multiplicity apart from a reduction in adenocarcinomas in females and adenomas in males. The data do not support the view that cabbage and vitamin E are protective against colon cancer.     

Chemopreventive effects of silymarin against 1,2-dimethylhydrazine plus dextran sodium sulfate-induced inflammation-associated carcinogenicity and genotoxicity in the colon of gpt delta rats

Silymarin, a natural flavonoid from the seeds of milk thistle, is used for chemoprevention against various cancers in clinical settings and in experimental models. To examine the chemopreventive mechanisms of silymarin against colon cancer, we investigated suppressive effects of silymarin against carcinogenicity and genotoxicity induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) plus dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in the colon of F344 gpt delta transgenic rats. Male gpt delta rats were given a single subcutaneous injection of 40 mg/kg DMH and followed by 1.5% DSS in drinking water for a week. They were fed diets containing silymarin for 4 weeks, starting 1 week before DMH injection and samples were collected at 4, 20 and 32 weeks after the DMH treatment. Silymarin at doses of 100 and 500 p.p.m. suppressed the tumor formation in a dose-dependent manner and the reduction was statistically significant. In the mutation assays, DMH plus DSS enhanced the gpt mutant frequency (MF) in the colon, and the silymarin treatments reduced the MFs by 20%. Silymarin also reduced the genotoxicity of DMH in a dose-dependent manner in bacterial mutation assay with Salmonella typhimurium YG7108, a sensitive strain to alkylating agents, and the maximum reduction was >80%. These results suggest that silymarin is chemopreventive against DMH/DSS-induced inflammation-associated colon carcinogenesis and silymarin might act as an antigenotoxic agent, in part.     

Induction of colon tumors in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-resistant Lobund Wistar rats by methylazoxymethanol acetate.

Sprague-Dawley and Lobund Wistar rats, which were sensitive and resistant to induction of colon tumors by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), respectively, were treated with methylazoxymethanol (MAM), the product of DMH metabolism by the microsomal mixed-function oxidase system. Although the colon tissue in both stocks of rats had similar NAD+-dependent dehydrogenase activities that are considered necessary to activate MAM to an ultimate carcinogen, still a sevenfold greater incidence of colon tumors was found in the Sprague-Dawley rats, and their tumors were more extensive. The results indicated that the difference in susceptibility to colon tumor induction between the rat stocks was partially related to metabolic activation of the DMH and to other, as yet undetermined, endogenous factors.