lactoferrin and Intestinal-Neoplasms

The present study was carried out to examine the chemopreventive effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and lactoferrin (LF) on goldfish intestinal carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). DMH was given to fish by intraperitoneal injection in a dosage of 15 mg/kg body weight once a week for 6 weeks. Eight weeks after the initial DMH injection, fish were randomly divided into 2 groups, control and LF-treated groups. Control fish fed a commercial diet. LF- treated fish fed a commercial diet with bovine lactoferrin (oral administration at 200 mg/kg body weight/day). Ten weeks after the initial DMH injection, each was divided into 2 groups, saline- and 5-FU- treated groups. Physiological saline for freshwater fish (0.75% NaCl solution) in the saline-treated fish and 5-FU dissolved in 0.75% NaCl solution in the 5-FU-treated (75 mg/kg body weight) fish were injected intramuscularly three times every other day, respectively. The mean number of precancer cell foci (PCF) per intestine was 2.7 in DMH treated fish. PCF showed broader distribution in the entire intestine derived from DMH-treated fish. LF-only-treatment has no effect on the number of PCF. Mean number of PCF in 5-FU-only-treated fish decreased in comparison with that of the saline-treated control group, though no statistically significant reduction in PCF was found. But if 5-FU treatment was added to LF pretreatment, a statistically significant reduction in the number of PCF was observed. Pretreatment with LF for 2 weeks also reduced the deleterious side effects of 5-FU.

Topics: 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine; Animals; Anti-Infective Agents; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; Blood Cell Count; Fluorouracil; Goldfish; Intestinal Neoplasms; Lactoferrin; Precancerous Conditions

The influence of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) on colon carcinogenesis was investigated in male F344 rats treated with azoxymethane (AOM). Following three weekly injections of AOM, the animals received 2 or 0.2% bLF for 36 weeks. No effects indicative of toxicity were noted, but significant reduction in both the incidence and number of adenocarcinomas of the large intestine was observed with both doses. Thus, the incidences of adenocarcinomas in the groups receiving 2% and 0.2% bLF were 15% and 25%, respectively, in contrast to the 57.5% control value (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). The results indicate that bLF might find application for chemoprevention of colon cancer.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adenoma; Animals; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Azoxymethane; Carcinoma; Cattle; Colonic Neoplasms; Incidence; Intestinal Neoplasms; Intestine, Large; Intestine, Small; Lactoferrin; Male; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344