stilbenes and Precancerous-Conditions

Colorectal chemoprevention is a strategy aimed at preventing tumour progression before irreversible changes to the proteome are in full progress. Chemoprevention is not a new concept. In fact, medical practitioners since the early 19th century have tried various herbal and medicinal products as methods that could prevent tumours. The current understanding of tumourigenesis and cellular signalling focuses on a more targeted approach and paves the way for better understanding of colorectal chemoprevention.. The online databases PubMed, Medline, Medscape Oncology and Scirrus were searched for articles of relevance. The Keyword involved the following words: "Colorectal Cancer Chemoprevention", "Colorectal Cancer", "Chemoprevention", "Adenoma-Carcinoma Sequence" and "Colorectal Polyps". The search was started from the period of June 1995 until September 2010 inclusive.. More than 50 natural and synthetic compounds have been shown to have chemotherapeutic effect but the majority of these agents are still in their early experimental stages and hence far from our subject of discussion. Our discussion will focus on large scale randomised trials on human subjects or established compounds. Within the context of chemoprevention, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents have undergone extensive research and have shown promising results with large scale randomised trials. Additionally, metformin, resveratrol, Histone deacetylase inhibitors, Src kinases as well monoclonal antibodies have shown promising results as well.. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the world. In the UK alone the number of cases reported in 2008 was almost 40,000 which make it the third most common tumour nationwide. Curative intent surgery or Colectomy is the treatment of choice for most cases of bowel cancer; however, in a select subpopulation of patients who have been colonoscopically diagnosed to harbour pre-malignant lesions, have a family history of colorectal cancer, or have been genetically diagnosed and treated surgically for colorectal tumours; chemoprevention might play a crucial role in deterring further tumour progression. The very latest studies that are in publication or are just accruing results are giving us encouraging data that might suggest whether mass scale ingestion of a specific medication might deter colorectal tumour progression.

Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Colorectal Neoplasms; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; Humans; Metformin; Precancerous Conditions; Resveratrol; Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; Stilbenes

trans-Resveratrol (trans-3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene) is a natural phytoalexin present in grapes, red wine, berries and peanuts with health protecting properties. The low oral bioavailability indicated for this polyphenol, with the intestine as a bottleneck to its absorption, has promoted the large intestine as a potential target site for its chemopreventive activity. This review recapitulates the current evidence of the effects of trans-resveratrol on colon cancer. First, we describe the studies conducted in vitro which show that the protective activity takes place by inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis. Secondly, the chemopreventive activity in animal models of colon carcinogenesis is revised. trans-Resveratrol not only reduces the number of preneoplastic lesions but also the incidence and multiplicity of tumors. Lastly, the article also reviews the available data on clinical trials. Altogether, the present findings support the hypothesis that the oral administration of trans-resveratrol might contribute to the prevention of colon carcinogenesis.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Apoptosis; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Colorectal Neoplasms; Disease Models, Animal; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans; Precancerous Conditions; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Prostate cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers in aging men. Active surveillance subpopulation of patients with prostate cancer includes men with varying cancer risk categories of precancerous disease due to prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) heterogeneity. Identifying molecular alterations associated with PIN can provide preventable measures through finding novel pharmacologic targets for cancer interception. Targeted nutritional interception may prove to be the most appropriate chemoprevention for intermediate- and high-risk active surveillance patients. Here, we have generated two prostate-specific transgenic mouse models, one overexpressing MTA1 (

Topics: Animals; Cell Line, Tumor; Diet; Humans; Male; Mice; Precancerous Conditions; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia; Prostatic Neoplasms; Repressor Proteins; Stilbenes; Trans-Activators

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a precancerous condition of the oral mucosa without specific therapeutic drugs. We previously demonstrated that the zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) plays a pathogenic role in the induction of the myofibroblast activity of buccal mucosal fibroblasts (BMFs) and contributes to the pathogenesis of OSF. Resveratrol is a natural polyphenolic flavonoid with anti-fibrosis activity in various tissues and has the capability to inhibit ZEB1 in oral cancer cells. We examined the effect of resveratrol on the myofibroblast activity of human primary fibrotic BMFs (fBMFs) derived from OSF tissues. With the collagen contraction assay, resveratrol displayed anti-myofibroblast activity in three fBMF lines. Resveratrol also inhibited the expression of fibrogenic genes at the mRNA and protein levels in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The downregulation of ZEB1 in fBMFs by resveratrol was mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, such as the upregulated expression of miR-200c and the enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), as well as the trimethylated lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27me3). Resveratrol also increased the binding of H3K27me3 to the ZEB1 promoter. The knockdown of EZH2 in fBMFs caused the upregulation of ZEB1 and suppressed the inhibitory effect of resveratrol. Furthermore, the reversed expression pattern between EZH2 and ZEB1 was observed in 6/8 OSF tissues with twofold upregulation of ZEB1 expression compared with the adjacent normal mucosa. In conclusion, our data suggest that resveratrol epigenetically inhibits ZEB1 expression to suppress the myofibroblast activity of fBMFs and may serve as a dietary supplement for OSF patients.

Topics: Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein; Epigenomics; Fibroblasts; Humans; Mouth Mucosa; Mouth Neoplasms; Myofibroblasts; Oral Submucous Fibrosis; Precancerous Conditions; Resveratrol; Stilbenes; Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1

Mutation of tumor suppressor gene, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), is the primary molecular event in the development of most intestinal carcinomas. Animal model with APC gene mutation is an effective tool for study of preventive approaches against intestinal carcinomas. We aimed to evaluate the effect of Riccardin D, a macrocyclic bisbibenzyl compound, as a chemopreventive agent against intestinal adenoma formation in APC(Min/+) mice.. APC(Min/+) mice were given Riccardin D by p.o. gavage for 7 weeks. Mice were sacrificed, and the number, size and histopathology of intestinal polyps were examined under a microscope. We performed immunohistochemical staining, western blotting, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in intestinal polyps to investigate the mechanism of chemopreventive effect of Riccardin D.. Riccardin D treatment resulted in a significant inhibition of intestinal adenoma formation, showing a reduction of polyp number by 41.7%, 31.1% and 44.4%, respectively, in proximal, middle and distal portions of small intestine. The activity of Riccardin D against polyp formation was more profound in colon, wherein Riccardin D decreased polyp number by 79.3%. Size distribution analysis revealed a significant reduction in large-size polyps (2-3 mm) by 40.0%, 42.5% and 33.3%, respectively, in proximal, middle and distal portions of small intestine, and 77.8% in colon. Histopathological analysis of the intestinal polyps revealed mostly hyperplastic morphology without obvious dysplasia in Riccardin D-treated mice. Molecular analyses of the polyps suggested that the inhibitory effect of Riccardin D on intestinal adenoma formation was associated with its abilities of reduction in cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, antiangiogenesis, inhibition of the Wnt signaling pathway and suppression of inflammatory mediators in polyps.. Our results suggested that Riccardin D exerts its chemopreventive effect against intestinal adenoma formation through multiple mechanisms including anti-proliferative, apoptotic, anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory activity.

Topics: Adenoma; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein; Animals; Apoptosis; beta Catenin; Biological Products; Caspases; Cell Proliferation; Colon; Cyclin D1; Cyclooxygenase 2; Hepatophyta; Inflammation; Intestinal Neoplasms; Intestinal Polyps; Intestine, Small; Mice; Neovascularization, Pathologic; NF-kappa B; Phenyl Ethers; Precancerous Conditions; Signal Transduction; Stilbenes

Resveratrol (Res), 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene, is an antioxidant found in the skin of red grapes and in several other plants. This phenolic compound has been recently reported to possess cancer chemopreventive activity that inhibits the process of carcinogenesis. However, the mechanisms underlying its anticancer effects remain largely unresolved. In this study, we investigated the chemoprotective effects of dietary Res in an azoxymethane (AOM) induced precancerous colorectal lesion model in male Wistar rats. The metabolic alterations in urine, sera, and colonic tissues of experimental rats perturbed by AOM intervention as well as the Res treatment were measured by a gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOFMS) analysis. Significant alterations of metabolites were observed in AOM group in urine, sera, and colonic tissues, which were attenuated by Res treatment and concurrent with the histopathological improvement with significantly decreased aberrant crypt foci (ACF) incidence. Representative metabolites include depleted glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate (ketone body), hypoxanthine, and elevated branched chain amino acids (isoleucine and valine) and tryptophan in colonic tissue, as well as elevated serum aminooxyacetate and urinary 4-hydroxyphenylacetate and xanthurenate. These metabolic changes suggest that the preventive effect of Res is associated with attenuation of impaired glucose and lipid metabolism and elevated protein breakdown in colonic tissues from AOM-exposed rats. It also appears that Res induced significant metabolic alterations independent of the AOM-induced metabolic changes. The significantly altered metabolites identified in Res-AOM group relative to AOM group include arachidonate, linoleate, glutamate, docosahexaenoate, palmitelaidate, 2-aminobutyrate, pyroglutamate, and threonate, all of which are involved in inflammation and oxidation processes. This suggests that Res exerts the chemopreventive effects on ACF formation by anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms in addition to amelioration of AOM-induced mitochondrial disruption.

Topics: Animals; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Azoxymethane; Colorectal Neoplasms; Male; Metabolome; Precancerous Conditions; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol that exhibits pleiotropic health beneficial effects, including anti-inflammatory, cardio-protective, and cancer-protective activities. It is recognized as one of the more promising natural molecules in the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Ulcerative colitis is an idiopathic, chronic inflammatory disease of the colon associated with a high colon cancer risk. Here, we used a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) mouse model of colitis, which resembles human ulcerative colitis pathology. Resveratrol mixed in food ameliorates DSS-induced colitis in mice in a dose-dependent manner. Resveratrol significantly improves inflammation score, downregulates the percentage of neutrophils in the mesenteric lymph nodes and lamina propria, and modulates CD3(+) T cells that express tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IFN-gamma. Markers of inflammation and inflammatory stress (p53 and p53-phospho-Ser(15)) are also downregulated by resveratrol. Because chronic colitis drives colon cancer risk, we carried out experiments to determine the chemopreventive properties of resveratrol. Tumor incidence is reduced from 80% in mice treated with azoxymethane (AOM) + DSS to 20% in mice treated with AOM + DSS + resveratrol (300 ppm). Tumor multiplicity also decreased with resveratrol treatment. AOM + DSS-treated mice had 2.4 +/- 0.7 tumors per animal compared with AOM + DSS + 300 ppm resveratrol, which had 0.2 +/- 0.13 tumors per animal. The current study indicates that resveratrol is a useful, nontoxic complementary and alternative strategy to abate colitis and potentially colon cancer associated with colitis.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Carcinogens; Cell Separation; Colitis; Colonic Neoplasms; Female; Flow Cytometry; Immunohistochemistry; Inflammation; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Precancerous Conditions; Resveratrol; Stilbenes; T-Lymphocytes

Transgenic alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), which accumulated resveratrol-glucoside (RG), was incorporated into diets and fed to female, 6-wk-old CF-1 mice for 5 wk. Mice fed diets containing transgenic alfalfa with supplemented alpha -galactosidase had significantly fewer azoxymethane (AOM)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in their colon relative to mice fed the transgenic alfalfa diets without added alpha -galactosidase (P = 0.02). Resveratrol-aglycone (Rag) was detected in the colon of 100% of mice fed transgenic alfalfa diets with supplemented alpha -galactosidase and in 60% of mice fed transgenic alfalfa without alpha -galactosidase (P < 0.05). Colonic concentrations of Rag (< 0.5 nmol/g tissue) in mice fed transgenic alfalfa with alpha -galactosidase (0.22 +/- 0.18 nmol/g tissue) tended to be higher than in animals fed diets without alpha -galactosidase (0.1 +/- 0.08 nmol/g tissue; P = 0.09). The use of N-(Bn-butyl)-deoxygalactonojirimycin, an inhibitor of lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH), in transport studies with everted jejunal sacs from CF-1 mice (N = 8) suggested that LPH is involved in the intestinal deglycosylation of RG. Our collective findings suggest that RG from transgenic alfalfa is metabolized and absorbed in the upper intestine and does not reach the colon in sufficient amounts to inhibit ACF.

Topics: Animals; Azoxymethane; Body Weight; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Colonic Neoplasms; Eating; Female; Glucosides; Lactase-Phlorizin Hydrolase; Medicago sativa; Mice; Plants, Genetically Modified; Precancerous Conditions; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most frequent and deadliest cancers, has been increasing considerably in the United States. In the absence of a proven effective therapy for HCC, novel chemopreventive strategies are urgently needed to lower the current morbidity and mortality of HCC. Recently, we have reported that resveratrol, a compound present in grapes and red wine, significantly prevents diethylnitrosamine (DENA)-induced liver tumorigenesis in rats, although the mechanism of action is not completely understood. In the present study, we have examined the underlying mechanisms of resveratrol chemoprevention of hepatocarcinogenesis by investigating the effects of resveratrol on oxidative damage and inflammatory markers during DENA-initiated rat liver carcinogenesis. There was a significant increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in carcinogen control animals compared with their normal counterparts at the end of the study (20 weeks). Elevated expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and 3-nitrotyrosine were noticed in the livers of the same animals. Dietary resveratrol (50-300 mg/kg) administered throughout the study reversed all the aforementioned markers in a dose-responsive fashion in rats challenged with DENA. Resveratrol also elevated the protein and mRNA expression of hepatic nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Results of the present investigation provide evidence that attenuation of oxidative stress and suppression of inflammatory response mediated by Nrf2 could be implicated, at least in part, in the chemopreventive effects of this dietary agent against chemically induced hepatic tumorigenesis in rats. The outcome of this study may benefit the development of resveratrol in the prevention and intervention of human HCC.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Carcinogens; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Diethylnitrosamine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Enzyme Induction; Female; Hyperplasia; Inflammation; Lipid Peroxidation; Liver; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Oxidative Stress; Phenobarbital; Precancerous Conditions; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Resveratrol; RNA, Messenger; Stilbenes; Tyrosine

trans-Resveratrol, a natural occurring polyphenol, has been described as an antiproliferative and proapoptotic agent in vitro. Here, we studied the effect of trans-resveratrol administered orally at a dose of 60 mg/kg for 49 days on early preneoplastic markers induced by the intraperitoneal injection of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (20 mg/kg). We measured trans-resveratrol and its derivates by liquid-liquid extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection analysis in colon contents. Dihydroresveratrol was the most abundant compound in the colon, followed by trans-resveratrol glucuronide and small amounts of trans-resveratrol and its sulfate. The administration of trans-resveratrol decreased aberrant crypt foci by 52%, and mucin depleted foci by 45% in colon. In conclusion, the correlation between the reduction of precancerous colonic lesions and the availability of trans-resveratrol in the colon provides a new insight into the therapeutical potential of this polyphenol and its metabolites.

Topics: 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine; Animals; Colon; Colonic Neoplasms; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Male; Precancerous Conditions; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Plants have been genetically enhanced to produce a number of products for agricultural, industrial and pharmaceutical purposes. This technology could potentially be applied to providing chemoprevention strategies to the general population. Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) is a compound that has been shown to have protective activity against a number of cancers and could be an ideal candidate for such an application. Alfalfa that was genetically modified to express resveratrol-synthase was used as a model in applying biotechnological approaches to cancer prevention. The transgenic alfalfa, which accumulates resveratrol as a glucoside (piceid = trans-resveratrol-3-O-Beta-D-glucopyranoside) (152 +/- 17.5 microg piceid/g dry weight), was incorporated into a standard mouse diet at 20% of the diet by weight and fed for 5 wk to 6-wk-old, female CF-1 mice (N = 17-30) that were injected with a single dose of azoxymethane (5 mg/kg body weight). While the addition of resveratrol-aglycone (20 mg/kg diet) to the basal diet reduced the number of aberrant crypt foci/mouse, the transgenic alfalfa did not inhibit the number, size, or multiplicity of aberrant crypt foci in the colon of the CF-1 mice relative to control alfalfa which does not accumulate resveratrol-glucoside. However, diets containing transgenic alfalfa with an exogenous Beta-glucosidase (860 U/kg diet) did significantly inhibit the number of aberrant crypt foci in the distal 2 cm of the colon of the mice relative to mice fed diets containing the transgenic alfalfa without the enzyme (P < 0.05; Fisher's Combination of p-values). The Beta-glucosidase alone appeared to have no effect on the inhibition of aberrant crypt foci. These results suggest that piceid in transgenic piceid-accumulating alfalfa was not bioavailable.

Topics: Acyltransferases; Animals; beta-Glucosidase; Colonic Neoplasms; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Glucosides; Humans; Medicago sativa; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Plants, Genetically Modified; Precancerous Conditions; Random Allocation; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

To shed light on the association of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status with the development of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), we studied the modulatory influence of resveratrol, supplemented in three dietary regimens (initiation, post-initiation and entire period) on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis. Rats were administered DMH (20 mg/kg body weight, s.c.) for 15 weeks and were supplemented with resveratrol (8 mg/kg body weight, p.o. everyday) in three dietary regimens. Intestines and colons were analyzed for the levels of diene conjugates (DC), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOHs) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Enzymic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione peroxidase, GPX; glutathione S-transferase, GST; and glutathione reductase, GR) and non-enzymic reserve (reduced glutathione, GSH; ascorbate; and alpha-tocopherol) were also assessed in the intestine and colon. Unsupplemented DMH exposed rats showed significantly decreased levels/activities of tissue DC, LOOHs, TBARS, SOD, CAT, GSH, GR and significantly elevated (P<0.05) GPX, GST, alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate as compared to control rats. Resveratrol supplementation during the entire period of the study resulted in significant (P<0.01) modulation of lipid peroxidation markers and antioxidants status, which were paralleled with ACF suppression, as compared to DMH-alone treated rats. These results indicate that resveratrol effectively inhibits DMH-induced ACF and colonic tumor development.

Topics: 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine; Animals; Antioxidants; Catalase; Diet; Glutathione; Intestinal Neoplasms; Lipid Peroxidation; Male; Precancerous Conditions; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Resveratrol; Stilbenes; Superoxide Dismutase

Diet-induced changes in the activities of bacterial enzymes are known to play a role in colon cancer development. Resveratrol has been implicated as a protective agent in carcinogenesis. In the present study, the effect of resveratrol on the activities of faecal and colonic biotransforming enzymes such as beta-glucuronidase, beta-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase, mucinase, nitroreductase and faecal sulfatase activity was assessed. The total number of aberrant crypt foci and their distribution in the proximal, medial and distal colon were observed in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced rats (group 3) and other treatment groups (groups 4-6). DMH (0.02 g/kg body weight) was given subcutaneously once a week for 15 consecutive weeks, and the experiment was terminated at 30 weeks. DMH-treated rats showed elevated levels of cancer-associated bacterial enzyme activities, whereas on resveratrol supplementation in three different regimens, rats showed lowered activities. Resveratrol supplementation throughout the experimental period (group 6) exerted a more pronounced effect (P < 0.01) by modulating the development of aberrant crypt foci and the activities of bacterial enzymes than did the other treatment regimens (groups 4 and 5). Thus, the present results demonstrate the inhibitory effect of resveratrol on DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats.

Topics: 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Bacteria; Carcinogens; Colon; Colonic Neoplasms; Dietary Supplements; Disease Models, Animal; Feces; Glycoside Hydrolases; Intestinal Mucosa; Male; Nitroreductases; Polysaccharide-Lyases; Precancerous Conditions; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Resveratrol; Stilbenes; Sulfatases

The potential beneficial or adverse affect of prolonged dietary administration of moderate to high doses (1-100 mg/kg diet) of the antioxidants, lycopene, quercetin and resveratrol or a mixture of lycopene and quercetin was investigated in male F344 rats. Selected markers for toxicity and defense mechanisms were assayed in blood, liver and colon and the impact of the antioxidant administrations on putative preneoplastic changes in liver and colon was assessed. The dietary carcinogen, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) (200 mg/kg diet) served as a pro-oxidant, genotoxicity and general toxicity control. IQ increased the levels of protein and DNA oxidation products in plasma, the area of glutathione S-transferase-placental form positive (GST-P) foci in the liver as well as the number of colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF). All antioxidants and the antioxidant combination significantly increased the level of lymphocytic DNA damage, to an extent comparable with the effect induced by IQ. In contrast to the control group where no GST-P foci were detected, GST-P foci were detected in animals exposed to quercetin, lycopene and the combination of the two. However, the increase in the volume of GST-P foci did not reach statistical significance. The present results indicate that moderate to high doses of common dietary antioxidants can damage lymphocyte DNA and induce low levels of preneoplastic liver lesions in experimental animals. Long-term exposure to moderate to high doses of antioxidants may thus via pro-oxidative mechanisms and non-oxidative mechanisms modulate carcinogenesis.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Biomarkers; Carotenoids; Colon; Comet Assay; Diet; Glutathione Transferase; Hormones; Immunohistochemistry; Liver; Lycopene; Male; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative Stress; Placenta; Precancerous Conditions; Quercetin; Quinolines; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

We investigated whether resveratrol (RV) affects azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon carcinogenesis, by administering RV (200 microg/kg/day in drinking water) to male F344 rats for 100 days, beginning 10 days before carcinogen treatment (two weekly doses of 15 mg/kg AOM). Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) were isolated and proliferation, apoptosis and expression of the cell cycle genes bax and p21 were determined. RV significantly reduced the number of ACF/colon [25.7 +/- 3.6 (mean +/- SEM) versus 39.4 +/- 3.3 in controls; P < 0.01] and their multiplicity (2.7 +/- 0.3 versus 4.9 +/- 0.6 in controls; P < 0.01), and also abolished large ACF. In RV-treated rats, bax expression was enhanced in ACF but not in the surrounding mucosa. In both controls and RV-treated rats, proliferation was higher in ACF than in normal mucosa. p21 was expressed in ACF of controls and of RV-treated rats and in normal mucosa of controls, but was lost in normal mucosa of RV-treated animals. In conclusion, the results suggest a protective role of RV in colon carcinogenesis with a mechanism involving changes in bax and p21 expression.

Topics: Animals; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Azoxymethane; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Carcinogens; Cell Division; Colon; Colorectal Neoplasms; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; Cyclins; Growth Inhibitors; Intestinal Mucosa; Male; Precancerous Conditions; Proto-Oncogene Proteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Rectum; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Resveratrol, a phytoalexin found in grapes and other food products, was purified and shown to have cancer chemopreventive activity in assays representing three major stages of carcinogenesis. Resveratrol was found to act as an antioxidant and antimutagen and to induce phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes (anti-initiation activity); it mediated anti-inflammatory effects and inhibited cyclooxygenase and hydroperoxidase functions (antipromotion activity); and it induced human promyelocytic leukemia cell differentiation (antiprogression activity). In addition, it inhibited the development of preneoplastic lesions in carcinogen-treated mouse mammary glands in culture and inhibited tumorigenesis in a mouse skin cancer model. These data suggest that resveratrol, a common constituent of the human diet, merits investigation as a potential cancer chemopreventive agent in humans.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Antimutagenic Agents; Carcinogens; Cell Differentiation; Cyclooxygenase 1; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Female; Fruit; Humans; Inflammation; Isoenzymes; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental; Membrane Proteins; Mice; Neoplasms, Experimental; Peroxidases; Precancerous Conditions; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Resveratrol; Skin Neoplasms; Stilbenes; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The synergism of two carcinogenic aromatic amines with different tissue specificities was studied at the level of initiation in Wistar rats. Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and glutathione S-transferase P were used as markers for preneoplastic foci in liver. 2-Acetylaminofluorene (AAF) is a complete rat liver carcinogen, whereas trans-4-acetylaminostilbene (AAS) produces ear duct tumors quite selectively, but also acts as a strong initiator in rat liver. When these carcinogens were administered sequentially as two doses of each or simultaneously as four doses of a mixture to neonate animals, which then were treated with phenobarbital in the drinking water for promotion, the initiating activity was additive. When these chemicals were given to young adult animals within 4 weeks in two series of four doses, followed by partial hepatectomy and phenobarbital in the drinking water, the number of preneoplastic foci was greater in groups which had received AAS in both series or in the second series after AAF than in those groups which had received only AAF or AAF in the second series. The average size of foci depended clearly on the sequence in which the two carcinogens were administered. The foci were larger when AAF was given after AAS. The results support the notion that AAS is a strong initiator in rat liver, and that AAF, which is a complete liver carcinogen, has promoting properties under certain circumstances in addition to its initiating properties. The two carcinogens seem to produce the initiating lesions independently but the extent of initiation is additive in this model situation. The simplified neonatal rat liver model appears to be particularly suitable for investigating initiating properties and is proposed for studies of synergistic effects of genotoxic chemicals on the initiation stage, independent of organotropism. It avoids a number of complicating factors related to treatment schedule, forced proliferation rate and toxicity in other models.

Topics: 2-Acetylaminofluorene; Aging; Animals; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinogens; Drug Synergism; Female; gamma-Glutamyltransferase; Glutathione Transferase; Hepatectomy; Liver; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Phenobarbital; Precancerous Conditions; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sex Factors; Stilbenes; Time Factors

Two carcinogenic aromatic amines with different organotropism were tested for syncarcinogenic effects in rat liver in an initiation-promotion experiment. Trans-4-acetylaminostilbene (AAS) and 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) were administered as initiators in four doses each either alone or sequentially combined in both orders. The promotion phase was started by partial hepatectomy and continued by adding phenobarbital (250 p.p.m.) to the drinking water for 26 weeks. The number/cm2 of tissue section and average size of hyperplastic foci, glucose-6-phosphatase-deficient and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase-positive foci were determined and a total area of lesions calculated during the promotion phase after 18 and 31 weeks, and in the post-promotion phase after 42 and 47 weeks. The synergistic effects of AAS and AAF were clearly more than additive if compared with the sum of the effects exerted by each compound individually. The sequence in which both initiators were administered remarkably influenced the development of lesions. They developed more rapidly and persisted longer in the post-promotion phase when AAS was administered first and AAF second. In the final stage, enzyme altered foci increased in the livers of both combination groups, but to a greater extent in the AAS-AAF group. It is concluded that the two arylamides damage DNA independently. In addition, however, the results suggest that AAS acts predominantly as an initiator, and AAF as a weak initiator and a strong promoter in what is considered the initiation phase of this experiment.

Topics: 2-Acetylaminofluorene; Animals; Carcinogens; Cocarcinogenesis; DNA; Female; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; Precancerous Conditions; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Stilbenes

A highly sensitive assay for the epoxide hydrolase activity associated with the preneoplastic antigen (PNA) has been developed based on the synthesis of cis-stilbene oxide labeled with tritium at approximately 15 Ci/mmol. This assay allows the detection of elevated epoxide hydrolase activity in the serum of humans and rodents as well as in the culture medium bathing isolated hepatocytes. The integrity of the enzymatic assay was confirmed in rodents by precipitating the serum PNA activity using an antibody raised against the rat microsomal epoxide hydrolase. Methodology for the detection of PNA in serum will facilitate evaluation of this antigen as a marker for hepatic neoplasia in man and in experimental animals.

Topics: Acetaminophen; Adult; Animals; Antigens, Neoplasm; Epoxide Hydrolases; Female; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Precancerous Conditions; Rabbits; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Stilbenes

After repeated administration of trans-4-acetylaminostilbene to rats, DNA-bound metabolites accumulate to the greatest extent in liver and kidney, which are considered to be nontarget tissues for this carcinogen. To test whether the persistent DNA adducts represent procarcinogenic lesions, an initiation-promotion experiment was carried out using trans-4-acetylaminostilbene as an initiator and phenobarbital, DDT and diethylstilbestrol as promoters. In addition, partial hepatectomy was performed in some groups. Partial hepatectomy alone or in combination with promoters led to the formation of preneoplastic enzyme deficient foci, hyperplastic nodules and hepatoma in great yields. In addition, mammary tumors were observed with diethylstilbestrol promotion. The results support our proposal that aminostilbene derivatives produce procarcinogenic DNA-lesions in many, if not all, tissues and that secondary factors determine when and where tumors arise.

Topics: Adenoma, Bile Duct; Animals; Bile Duct Neoplasms; Body Weight; Carcinogens; DNA; Female; Hyperplasia; Liver; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; Liver Regeneration; Neoplasms, Experimental; Precancerous Conditions; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Stilbenes

Four N-Acetoxy-N-arylacetamides previously found to be local sarcomagens in the rat have been found to be initiators of tumorigenesis in mouse skin. The order of activity was: N-acetoxy-2-acetamidophenanthrene greater than N-acetoxy-4-acetamino-stilbene similar to N-acetoxy-2-acetamido-fluorene greater than N-acetoxy-4-acetamidobiphenyl. Two substituted N-benzoyloxypiperidines previously shown to yield nitrenium ions on solvolysis in methanol also had initiating activity in mouse skin.

Topics: Acetamides; Animals; Benzene Derivatives; Biphenyl Compounds; Female; Fluorobenzenes; Mice; Phenanthrenes; Piperidines; Precancerous Conditions; Skin Neoplasms; Stilbenes; Time Factors