Abstract: | Inhibition of orally administe;red ascorbic
acid of 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) induced car-
cinoma of glandular sitomac.h in male LACA
mice is studied. The animals are divided int0 3
groups.: Group MC consists oif 54 mice in whch
a knotted thread impregnated with MC was fix-
ed on the mucosal surface of glandular sto-
mach; Gro,up vitamin C (VO) consists of 23 mice,
treated in the same way with the addition of
oral ascorbic acid in the drinking water; the
control group consists of 23 mice in which an
ordinary untreated knotted thread was fixed on
the glandular stomach. The incidences of ade-
noma-like hyperplasia and tumor formation in
Group VC (50Vo and 27.8To) were lower than
those in Group MC (77.3% a.nd 65.9'yo). By using
acid a-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) stain-
ing, the number of T lympihocytes in the peri-
pheral blood was calc;ulated. After the animals
were exposed to MC, the percentage of ANAE
positive lymphocytes in the Group YC decreas.ed
less than in Group MC, and recovery was more
rapid. It is suggested that ascorbic acid can
protect immunocom.petence of the animal and
therefore hasten recovery, this may be one of
the mechanisms of the inhibitory effect of as-
corbic acid on MC induced carcinogenesis in
mouse glandular stomach. |