Calcium inhibits colon carcinogenesis in an experimental model in the rat

Different dietary factors can affect colorectal cancer incidence. However, the effect of increased levels of dietary calcium on neoplasms is unclear. The present study was designed to examine the effect of a low calcium supplement on experimental colon carcinogenesis induced by parenteral administration of dimethylhydrazine (DMH). One hundred and twenty 10-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups of equal sex distribution. The 10 rats in group A (control group) received no treatment; the 30 rats in group B (DMH group) were injected subcutaneously with 18 weekly doses of 21 mg/kg DMH; the 20 rats in group C (EDTA control group) received EDTA solution only; the 30 rats in group D (calcium group) received calcium at 3.2 g/l by adding calcium lactate to the drinking water from the start until the conclusion of the experiment; and the 30 rats in group E (DMH + calcium group) received oral calcium supplements at the same dose as the rats in group D (calcium group) and the same DMH injections as the rats in group B (DMH group). The rats were sacrificed at 25-34 weeks. In group E, we observed a significant diminution in the number of tumours (P = 0.01); an increase in the number of tumour-free animals (P = 0.006); a change in tumour location towards the distal colon (P < 0.025); more adenomas (P = 0.02); and a diminution of adenocarcinomas and mucinous carcinomas, although this was not significant. We conclude that a low dietary calcium supplement in rats inhibits colon cancer carcinogenesis induced by DMH, and changes tumour location towards the distal colon.     

Prolonged chronic inflammation progresses to dysplasia in a novel rat model of colitis-associated colon cancer

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a gastrointestinal disorder of unknown etiology or cure. One complication of IBD is an increased risk for development of colon cancer. The aims of this study were to use a previously established rat model of colitis to develop a new model of colitis-associated colon cancer and ascertain the involvement of three cancer-related genes: K-ras, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), and p53. Four groups of rats were used: reactivated 1,2-dimethylhydrazine [DMH; trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) was used to induce colitis followed by a weekly s.c. dose of DMH], prolonged reactivation (inflammation was induced with TNBS, then maintained twice a week), saline-DMH (animals received saline instead of TNBS followed by a weekly dose of DMH), and normal (received no treatment). Animals were sacrificed at 5, 10, or 15 weeks, and colon samples were taken for pathologic analysis and gene mutation detection. No dysplasia was found in the normal group. The highest incidences of dysplasia were as follows: prolonged reactivation group at 5 weeks (60%), reactivated DMH group at 10 weeks (83%), and saline-DMH group at 15 weeks (67%). Carcinoma was found in both the prolonged reactivation and saline-DMH groups. No mutations were found in the K-ras oncogene; however 62% of the APC samples (exon 15 at nucleotide 2778) and 76% of p53 (exon 6 at nucleotide 1327) showed substitutions. The prolonged reactivation group may be considered a new model of colitis-associated colon cancer, offering the potential to study cancer prevention strategies for patients with IBD.     

Promotion of colon carcinogenesis through increasing lipid peroxidation induced in rats by a high cholesterol diet

To examine the influence of hypercholesteremia on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced rat colon cancer, Sprague-Dawley rats received dietary cholesterol (CH, 0–2%) and cholic acid (CA, 0.25%) with or without DMH (20 mg/kg, s.c. injection) for 18 weeks. The rats receiving dietary cholesterol and cholic acid all significantly increased total serum cholesterol and lipids but only a high cholesterol diet (2% CH plus 0.25% CA) decreased the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and increased the formation of peroxides in the colon (P < 0.01). The rats that received the combination of DMH and high cholesterol diet enhanced these effects. At the end of the experiment, the diet group administered DMH and high cholesterol (2% CH plus 0.25% CA) developed colon adenoma at 50% of incidence in pathological examination, but no colon adenoma formed in the rats treated with high cholesterol alone. It is supposed that a non-carcinogenic agent like cholesterol may potentiate the carcinogenicity of DMH in rats via an increase of lipid peroxidation and decrease in the activity of peroxidase in the target organ.     

Dietary calcium and vitamin D modulate 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colonic carcinogenesis in the rat

To determine whether supplemental dietary calcium and/or vitamin D deficiency are involved in modulating colon cancer induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing either: (a) a normal content of calcium (0.87%) and phosphorus (0.60%) with 2.2 IU of vitamin D3 per g of feed (group A); (b) the same diet as group A, but with calcium and phosphorus increased to 1.80 and 0.80%, respectively (group B); or (c) a vitamin D-deficient diet with supplemental calcium (1.80%) and phosphorus (0.80%) (group C). After 6 weeks on their respective diets, one-half the animals in each group were given s.c. injections of either vehicle or DMH (20 mg/kg body weight/week) for 26 weeks. Animals were then sacrificed and the incidence of tumors as well as the number of tumors per tumor-bearing rat were determined. Colonic mucosal polyamine levels were measured after 15 weeks of exposure to vehicle or DMH, before development of histologically recognizable neoplasms. The results of these experiments demonstrated that neither calcium supplementation alone nor supplemental calcium in conjunction with vitamin D deficiency altered the incidence of colonic cancer induced by this carcinogen. Supplemental calcium, however, significantly decreased the number of rats with multiple tumors and reduced tumor size. Moreover, vitamin D deficiency abolished these protective effects of calcium on colon cancer in this experimental model. DMH treatment increased polyamine levels in the premalignant colonic mucosa in group A rats. This carcinogen-induced effect was blunted by high dietary calcium. Vitamin D-deficient, calcium-supplemented rats (group C) showed an increase in N1-acetylspermidine, but not the other polyamines, with DMH treatment.     

螺旋藻对二甲肼诱导SD大鼠肠癌的保护作用

继前螺旋藻可以抑制接触致癌剂动物大肠细胞增生及癌前病变向肠癌转化的研究，本文报道进一步研究螺旋藻对大肠癌发病率的影响及其机理。将１４０只ｓＤ雄性大鼠分为阳性对照组；阴性对照组、螺旋藻低剂量保护组（１５０ｍｇ／ｋｇ）和螺旋藻高剂量保护组（１５００ｍｇ／ｋｇ）。从第１周开始给阳性对照组和保护组腹腔注射二甲肼（ＤＭＨ）（２Ｏｍｇ／ｋｇ×２４次），同时予保护组饲喂螺旋藻干粉，分别于第９、１３、１６、２１和２４ｗｋ每组处死５动物。观察淋巴细胞ＵＤＳ、ＮＫ细胞活性、肠癌发生率和病理组织学表现。结果表明：保护组动物肠癌出现时间比阳性对照组推迟５ｗｋ，总发癌率显著低于阳性对照组（Ｐ＜０．０５）。螺旋藻保护组在第９、１３、１６ｗｋ（ＮＫ细胞活性）较高，晚期活性降低，各级间Ｎｋ细胞活性无显著差异。但在动态观察时见螺旋藻有延缓ＮＫ细胞活性下降趋势。在第９、１３、１６ｗｋ螺旋藻保护组ＵＤＳ显著高于阳性对照组（Ｐ＜０．０１）．而在第２１、２４ｗｋ各组间差异无显著意义。     

The effects of chronic ethanol administration on polyamine content during dimethylhydrazine-induced colorectal carcinogenesis in the rat

Chronic ethanol (EtOH) consumption has been implicated as aco-carcinogen, selectively promoting rectal tumor formation.We studied the effects of EtOH consumption on tumor formationand polyamine content (putrescine, spermidine and spermine)in proximal and distal colon and rectum of Sprague-Dawley ratstreated with the procarcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH).Sixty-four adult male rats were pair fed nutritionally completeliquid diets with 36% of calories supplied as EtOH or isocaloriccarbohydrates. Both groups received 4 weeks of the liquid dietfollowed by 4 weeks of standard laboratory chow during which50% of the rats in each group received DMH (30 mg/kg) or vehicles.c. weekly. This cycle was repeated four times (32 weeks).Animals were sacrificed at the end of each 8 week cycle andnormal appearing and available tumor bearing tissue from proximaland distal colon and rectum was obtained for polyamine contentand histology. Five animals, unexposed to DMH or EtOH servedas baseline controls. There were no consistent regional differencesin putrescine, spermidine or spermine of baseline controls.A progressive decrease in tissue putrescine was seen in allthree regions of the control group and was significant at 24and 32 weeks versus baseline controls. In all three regions,chronic EtOH consumption prevented the decrease in tissue putrescine.Spermidine content was also significantly increased in the distalcolon of EtOH-treated animals compared to baseline values. Consistentchanges in spermine content were seen in any treatment groupor region. A significant increase in putrescine content of normalappearing and tumor-bearing tissue of DMH treated animals at32 weeks was noted. Chronic EtOH administration did not augmentrectal or colonic polyamine content in DMH-treated animals.Likewise, chronic EtOH consumption did not alter the number,size or distribution of large bowel tumors of DMH treated animals.     

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.     

An animal model of Kaposi's sarcoma. I. Immune status of CD1 mice undergoing dimethyl hydrazine treatment to induce angiosarcomas and other malignancies.

Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) induces colonic cancer and angiosarcomas in mice. In order to determine pertinence of mouse angiosarcoma as a model to AIDS associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), we investigated if immune dysfunction occurred during tumor development by DMH. Outbred CD1 male mice received once weekly DMH a 20 mg/kg body weight dose s.c. for 33 weeks. Every two weeks initially and then every week groups of DMH-treated and control animals were sacrificed to determine a) peripheral blood and splenic T cell subset ratio b) 4-day plaque forming cell (PFC) response to i.p. sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and c) mitogenic response of spleen cells to Concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). No change in T helper/T suppressor + cytotoxic T cell (Th/Tsupp. + CTL) and mitogenic response to spleen cells to Con A was noted whereas PFC response of animals to SRBC and mitogenic response of spleen cells to LPS decreased. These data suggest that either infection with T cell depleting virus such as LP:BM5 or immunosuppressive drugs affecting T cell function, such as steroids may be required to bring the immune status of DMH treated animals closer to that of AIDS associated KS bearing human subjects.     

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.     

Carcinogenicity of 1,2-DimethyIhydrazine in Colorectal Tissue Heterotopically Transplanted into the Glandular Stomach of Rats

The present study was designed to examine the effect of the intestinal carcinogen 1,2-dimethyl-hydrazine (DMH) on grafted colorectal mucosa implanted into the glandular stomach of rats. Four groups were studied: Group 1 received the operation and DMH, Group 2 received the operation alone, Group 3 received DMH alone and Group 4 (controls) received only a sham operation. For Groups 1 and 2, about 8-mm diameter segments of colorectal tissue obtained from various sites in the large intestine of 8-week-old male F344 rats were isologously implanted into the fundic region of the stomachs of age-matched rats. DMH was injected at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight i.m. per week for 20 weeks beginning 4 weeks after the operation. The animals were then observed for 8 months after the initial DMH treatment. In Group 1, adenocarcinomas developed in 41 of 60 successful implants (68%). Furthermore, poorly differentiated type tumors were observed in the grafts obtained from the rectum. This finding was contrary to that for intrinsic rectal tumors, all of which were well differentiated. The histochemical staining of mucin in the tissues from different sites of the large intestine revealed that sulfomucin, which normally exists essentially only in the intrinsic descending colon or rectum, was present in the grafts from the proximal ascending or ascending colon. No gastric tumors were observed in the control rats, which received either DMH or sham operations alone. Tumors in the intrinsic large intestine were observed only in rats that received DMH. These results indicate that colorectal mucosa implanted into the glandular stomach, like the intrinsic large intestine, is still sensitive to tumorigenesis caused by DMH.     

Carcinogenicity of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in colorectal tissue heterotopically transplanted into the glandular stomach of rats.

The present study was designed to examine the effect of the intestinal carcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) on grafted colorectal mucosa implanted into the glandular stomach of rats. Four groups were studied: Group 1 received the operation and DMH, Group 2 received the operation alone, Group 3 received DMH alone and Group 4 (controls) received only a sham operation. For Groups 1 and 2, about 8-mm diameter segments of colorectal tissue obtained from various sites in the large intestine of 8-week-old male F344 rats were isologously implanted into the fundic region of the stomachs of age-matched rats. DMH was injected at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight i.m. per week for 20 weeks beginning 4 weeks after the operation. The animals were then observed for 8 months after the initial DMH treatment. In Group 1, adenocarcinomas developed in 41 of 60 successful implants (68%). Furthermore, poorly differentiated type tumors were observed in the grafts obtained from the rectum. This finding was contrary to that for intrinsic rectal tumors, all of which were well differentiated. The histochemical staining of mucin in the tissues from different sites of the large intestine revealed that sulfomucin, which normally exists essentially only in the intrinsic descending colon or rectum, was present in the grafts from the proximal ascending or ascending colon. No gastric tumors were observed in the control rats, which received either DMH or sham operations alone. Tumors in the intrinsic large intestine were observed only in rats that received DMH. These results indicate that colorectal mucosa implanted into the glandular stomach, like the intrinsic large intestine, is still sensitive to tumorigenesis caused by DMH.     

Long term administration of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor decreases development of 1-2 dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer in rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The antitumoral activities of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were shown earlier. In this study, the effects of GM-CSF were investigated on colon cancer induced by 18 weeks of 1-2 dimethylhydrazine (DMH) administration in rats. METHODS: Four groups received subcutaneous saline (n = 20), 15 mg/kg DMH (n = 30), DMH +6 microg/kg GM-CSF (n = 30), and DMH +12 microg/kg (n = 30) GM-CSF. RESULTS: The average number of tumors (2.8 vs. 1.5) and mean tumor volume (179 +/- 36 vs. 27 +/- 9 mm(3); means +/- SEM) were reduced in DMH + GM-CSF groups as compared to the DMH group (n = 30, P < 0.01). DMH-induced enhancement of free radicals and lipid peroxidation were decreased in DMH + GM-CSF group (n = 8-12, P < 0.05). The magnitude of DMH-induced alterations in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities was lowered in the DMH + GM-CSF group (n = 12-16, P < 0.05). DMH-induced increases in the total nitrite/nitrate levels and the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity (n = 10-12, P < 0.05) were also reduced in the DMH + GM-CSF group (n = 8-9, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that GM-CSF inhibits the development of DMH-induced colon cancer in rats and suggest that inhibition of oxidative stress and NO pathway are involved in the observed antitumoral effects.     

The effects of cholic acid and bile salt binding agents on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis in the rat

The theory that bile salts may be colon tumour promoters wastested in the dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced rat colon cancermodel. Fifty Wistar rats were randomly allocated to one of fiveexperimental groups (n = 10), all fed the same standard diet.One group served as saline-injected controls, while the otherfour groups received DMH (20 mg/kg body weight/rat/week s.c.)for 20 weeks. In addition, each of the DMH-injected groups concurrentlyreceived 20 weekly i.g. instillations of one of the following:cholic acid (a bile acid); cholestyramine or aluminium hydroxide(both bile acid binding agents), or water. After a years observationperiod, all the controls were alive and tumour-free, while allthe DMH-injected rats had died of histologically proven coloncancer. Irrespective of the type of gastric instillate, therewere no significant differences between the groups in termsof time to tumour presentation, survival, in the necropsy incidenceof primary or metastatic colon cancer, or in the numbers ofcolon tumours per group. The data suggest that bile salts andbile salt binding agents are not colon tumour promoters in therat. The bile salt theory of colon carcinogenesis may need reappraisal.     

Chemopreventive effect of different ratios of fish oil and corn oil on prognostic markers, DNA damage and cell cycle in colon carcinogenesis

Fish oil (FO) rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have a protective role in autoimmune disorders, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer, whereas corn oil (CO) rich in n-6 PUFAs has a proinflammatory and procarcinogenic effect. A balanced n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio in diet rather than absolute intake of either may be responsible for decreasing cancer incidence. This study was designed to evaluate the chemopreventive effect of different ratios of FO and CO on prognostic markers, DNA damage, and cell cycle distribution in colon carcinogenesis. Male Wistar rats were divided into control, N,N'-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH) treated, FO+CO(1 : 1)+DMH, and FO+CO(2.5 : 1)+DMH. All the groups, except control, received a weekly injection of DMH for 4 weeks. The animals were given modified AIN-76A diets and killed either 48 h later (initiation phase) or kept for 16 weeks (postinitiation phase). The animals treated with DMH in both the phases showed an increase in multiple plaque lesions, total sialic acid, lipid associated sialic acid, DNA damage and cell proliferation. However, levels of p53 in the postinitiation and cyclin D1 in both the phases were significantly elevated. FO+CO(2.5 : 1)+DMH treatment in both the phases led to a decrease in multiple plaque lesions, DNA damage, total sialic acid, lipid associated sialic acid as compared with the DMH treated group. There was a G1 arrest with a decrease in p53 and cyclin D1 levels in FO+CO(2.5 : 1) in both the phases whereas treatment with FO+CO(1 : 1)+DMH led to same results in the postinitiation phase only. This study suggests that FO+CO(2.5 : 1) is more effective in chemoprevention of experimental colon carcinogenesis.     

Chemopreventive Effect of Amorphophallus campanulatus (Roxb.) Blume Tuber Against Aberrant Crypt Foci and Cell Proliferation in 1, 2-Dimethylhydrazine Induced Colon Carcinogenesis

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death, both in men and women. This study investigatedthe effects of Amorphophallus campanulatus tuber methanolic extract (ACME) on aberrant crypt foci (ACF)formation, colonic cell proliferation, lipid peroxidative damage and the antioxidant status in a long term preclinicalmodel of 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) induced colon carcinogenesis in rats. Male Wistar rats were dividedinto six groups, viz., group I rats served as controls; group II rats treated as drug controls receiving 250 mg/kg body weight of ACME orally; group III rats received DMH (20 mg/kg body weight) subcutaneously once aweek for the first 15 weeks; groups IV, V and VI rats received ACME along with DMH during the initiation,post- initiation stages and the entire period of the study, respectively. All the rats were sacrificed at the end of 30weeks and the intestinal and colonic tissues from different groups were subjected to biochemical and histologicalstudies. Administration of DMH resulted in significant (p≤0.05) intestinal and colonic lipid peroxidation (MDA)and reduction of antioxidants such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-Stransferaseand reduced glutathione. Whereas the supplementation of ACME significantly (p≤0.05) improvedthe intestinal and colonic MDA and reduced glutathione levels and the activities of antioxidant enzymes inDMH intoxicated rats. ACME administration also significantly suppressed the formation and multiplicity ofACF. In addition, the DMH administered rats showed amplified expression of PCNA in the colon and decreasedexpression of this proliferative marker was clearly noted with initiation, post-initiation and entire period ofACME treatment regimens. These results indicate that ACME could exert a significant chemopreventive effecton colon carcinogenesis induced by DMH.     

Selenium and difluoromethylornithine additively inhibit DMH-induced distal colon tumor formation in rats fed a fiber-free diet

We investigated the effects of difluoromethylornithine, an inhibitorof ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and selenium supplementationon tumor formation induced by the carcinogen 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine(DMH) in Sprague-Dawley rats. A biochemical link between polyaminebiosynthesis and selenium metabolism to its cancer preventativeform has been suggested by the common requirement of S-adenosylmethio-nine.One-hundred and twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were dividedinto experimental (n = 80) and control (n = 40) groups. Experimentalanimals received DMH 20 mg/kg s.c. for 20 weeks. Animals werefed either a regular diet (selenium content 0.2 p.p.m.) or ahigh selenium diet (5 p.p.m.) with or without 0.2% DFMO in thedrinking water. At death, week 30, animal weights within experimentalor control groups were not different between the four diet treatmentgroups. Tumor number and incidence in the proximal colon wasnot affected by DFMO treatment, selenium supplementation orthe combined treatment. In contrast, in the distal colon, 19tumors developed in the DFMO treated group, 22 tumors in thehigh selenium group and only 12 tumors in the combined highselenium/DFMO treatment group compared to 32 tumors in the regulardiet group. Similarly, tumor incidence was decreased by DFMOand selenium supplementation and their effects were additive.In control animals, ODC activity was decreased by DFMO treatmentand selenium supplementation in the distal colon and liver,but not the proximal colon. ODC activity of tumor tissue wasgreater than normal colon tissue from diet paired animals forproximal and distal colon, except for distal colonic tumorsin the high selenium/DFMO treatment group. Polyamine content,however, did not correlate with ODC activity in normal or neoplastictissue. In general, S-adenosylmethionine levels from normalcolon and liver tissue were unaffected by diet treatment. Seleniumsupplementation in combination with DFMO treatment selectivelyinhibited distal colon tumor formation in rats fed a fiber-freediet.     

Comparison of immune status and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine induced tumorigenesis in brown--Norway and Fischer rats. Emphasis on splenic and colonic lymphocyte function

Sym 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon tumorigenesis was studied in immunologically different strains of rat: the Brown--Norway which is known to be immunologically a low-responder and the Fischer a high-responder. Brown--Norway rats received a total dose of 75, 150 or 225 mg DMH/kg or vehicle and Fischer rats received 150 mg DMH/kg or vehicle over a 3-week period. Rats were killed 5 months after the final treatment. Lymphocytes were isolated from the spleen and colon from rats treated with 150 mg DMH/kg or vehicle. Natural killer (NK) cell activity and the autologous mixed lymphocyte response (AMLR) as well as colon tumor incidence were compared between the two strains. Splenic and colonic intraperithelial lymphocytes (IEL) from the Brown--Norway strain demonstrated low NK activity and reduced splenic T lymphocyte proliferation in response to autologous non-T lymphocytes. As well, colonic lamina propria lymphocyte (LPL) proliferation was low and Brown--Norway rats had a low incidence of DMH-induced colon neoplasms (7%). In comparison, the Fischer rats had more effective splenic and IEL NK killing, enhanced splenic AMLR, enhanced LPL proliferation and a higher incidence of colon tumors (20%).     

Effect of dietary sodium ascorbate on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine- or methylnitrosourea-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats

The effect of dietary sodium ascorbate (SA) on colon carcinogenesisevoked by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) or N-methyl-N-nitrosourea(MNU) was studied in female F344 rats. Animals were fed dietscontaining 0, 0.25 and 1% of SA and given s.c. a single doseof 150 mg DMH/kg body wt., 10 weekly s.c. injections of 20 mgDMH/kg body wt. or intrarectal administration of 2 mg MNU, twicea week for 2 weeks. The incidence of colon and kidney tumorswas lower in rats fed the 0.25 or 1% SA and treated with a singledose of DMH than in the animals fed the diet without SA; however,the tumor incidences did not differ between the SA- and controldiet-fed animals and treated with multiple doses of DMH or MNU.     

Inhibitory effect of synthetic interferon inductor Cycloferone on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats

The effect of a synthetic interferon inductor Cycloferone on colon carcinogenesis was firstly studied in rats. Seventy-five 2-month-old outbred female LIO rats were subdivided into three groups and were weekly exposed to 15 s.c. injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) at a single dose of 7 mg/kg body wt. From the day of the fist injection of DMH rats from group 2 were given weekly i.p. injections of Cycloferone (62.5 mg/kg) until the end of the experiment. DMH-treated rats (group 3) were exposed to weekly i.p. injections of Cycloferone (62.5 mg/kg) starting in the week after the last injection of the carcinogen. Rats from group 1 were exposed to DMH and treated weekly with 0.2 ml i.p. of normal saline. Additional groups of rats were treated weekly with Cycloferone (62.5 mg/kg) or with 0.2 ml of saline. The experiment was ended 6 months after the first injection of DMH. In DMH-treated rats (groups 1, 2 and 3) colon adenocarcinomas developed in 87, 61 and 59%, respectively. The number of colon tumors per tumor-bearing rat was 2.5, 1.9 and 1.3 in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Treatment with Cycloferone significantly inhibits carcinogenesis in ascending and descending colon. The incidence of tumors of the rectum was decreased in the group 2 as compared with the group 1. There were no cases of tumors of rectum in rats from group 3. The treatment with Cycloferone alone as well as with normal saline failed to induce any tumors in rats. Thus, our results demonstrated inhibitory effect of Cycloferone on colon carcinogenesis induced by DMH in rats.