Aberrant Crypt Foci in Colon Cancer Epidemiology

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antitumor potential of iminoflavones inin vitroandin vivoanticancer models. Preliminary screening in various cancer cell lines revealed four potential iminoflavones out of which IMF-8 was taken based on its activity against colon cancer cells. This was further confirmed by observing the nuclear changes in the cells by AO/EB and Hoechst 33342 staining studies.In vivoactivity was assessed by dimethyl hydrazine-(DMH-) induced colon cancer model in rats. Animals were administered DMH (20 mg/kg, b.w. for 10 weeks and 30 mg/kg b.w.,i.p.for 10 weeks) and were supplemented with (IMF-8) iminoflavone-8 (200 mg/kg,p.o.for 14 days). Results showed that DMH induced 100% aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and polyps which were significantly reduced in the IMF-8 treated group. IMF-8 significantly increased the catalase and GSH levels whereas it reduced the TNF-αand IL-6 levels markedly which suggests the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory actions of flavonoids present in IMF-8. The histopathological images of the IMF-8 treated colon showed no signs of mucosal crypt abscess. These findings suggest that the semi-synthetic iminoflavones, IMF-8, effectively inhibit DMH-induced ACFs and colonic crypts by alleviating the oxidative stress and suppressing the inflammation.

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Apiaceous and Cruciferous Vegetables Fed During the Post-Initiation Stage Reduce Colon Cancer Risk Markers in Rats

Journal of Nutrition ◽

10.1093/jn/nxy257 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 149 (2) ◽

pp. 249-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sangyub Kim ◽

Sabrina P Trudo ◽

Daniel D Gallaher

Keyword(s):

Colon Cancer ◽

Cancer Risk ◽

Vegetable Consumption ◽

Aberrant Crypt Foci ◽

Stem Cell Marker ◽

Cruciferous Vegetables ◽

Colon Cancer Risk ◽

Basal Group ◽

Marker Expression ◽

Initiation Stage

ABSTRACT Background Vegetable consumption reduces colon cancer risk when fed in the initiation stage of carcinogenesis; however, the effect of vegetable consumption during the post-initiation stage has rarely been examined. Objective We investigated the chemopreventive effects of feeding apiaceous and cruciferous vegetables on colon cancer risk in the post-initiation stage. Methods Thirty male Wistar rats (∼5 wk, 92 g) were subcutaneously injected with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine 1 time/wk for 2 wk. One week after the last dose, rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: the basal diet, an apiaceous vegetable-containing diet (API; 21% fresh wt/wt), or a cruciferous vegetable-containing diet (CRU; 21% fresh wt/wt). All diets contained ∼20% protein, 7% fat, and 63% digestible carbohydrate. Experimental diets were fed for 10 wk, after which colons were harvested. Results CRU reduced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) number compared to the basal group (P = 0.014) and API (P = 0.013), whereas API decreased the proportion of dysplastic ACF relative to the basal group (P < 0.05). Both CRU and API reduced doublecortin-like kinase 1-positive marker expression relative to basal by 57.9% (P = 0.009) and 51.4% (P < 0.02). The numbers of CD44-positive ACF did not differ between the groups. We identified 14 differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs). Of these, expression of 6 miRNAs were greater or tended to be greater (P ≤ 0.10) in one or both vegetable-containing groups compared to the basal group. Bioinformatic analysis of these expression changes in miRNA predicted a change in WNT/β-catenin signaling, indicating downregulation of β-catenin in the vegetable-fed groups. Consistent with this bioinformatics analysis, β-catenin-accumulated ACF were decreased in CRU (93.1%, P = 0.012), but not in API (54.4%, P = 0.125), compared to the basal group. Conclusion Both apiaceous and cruciferous vegetables, fed post-initiation, reduce colonic preneoplastic lesions as well as cancer stem cell marker expression in rats, possibly by suppressing oncogenic signaling through changes in miRNA expression.

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