title: Enhancement of mammary carcinogenesis by high levels of dietary fat: a phenomenon dependent on ad libitum feeding.
abstract: Female 55-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with a single intravenous dose of 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA), 2 mg/100 g of body weight each. At 60 days of age, the rats were divided into four dietary groups (41-42 rats/group):I, 5% corn oil diet fed ad libitum; II, 20% corn oil diet fed ad libitum; III, 5% corn oil diet fed 12% less than group I; and IV, 20% corn oil diet fed 12% less than group II. The 5% and 20% corn oil diets were purified semisynthetic diets that were isonutrient on a caloric basis. All animals were housed individually in single cages; food consumption of each animal was computed daily throughout the study. Sixteen weeks after carcinogen treatment, mean numbers of mammary carcinomas per rat (+/- SE) in groups I, II, III, and IV were 4.1 +/- 0.6, 6.8 +/- 0.7, 3.0 +/- 0.3, and 4.1 +/- 0.5, respectively. Mean weight of mammary carcinomas per rat (g +/- SE) in groups I, II, III, and IV were 3.5 +/- 0.7, 8.0 +/- 1.3, 3.0 +/- 1.1, and 4.6 +/- 1.3, respectively. Mammary carcinoma number and weight were significantly (P less than .01) increased in the animals fed the 20% corn oil diet ad libitum when compared with those fed the 5% corn oil diet ad libitum; however, no significant differences in mammary tumor number or weight were observed between the animals fed a restricted, 20% corn oil diet and those fed a restricted, 5% corn oil diet. The study involving the animals fed the 12%-restricted diets was repeated (38-42 rats/group), with virtually identical results, i.e., the mean number of mammary carcinomas per rat in the groups fed the restricted 5% fat and 20% fat diets at termination of the study was 3.1 +/- 0.4 and 3.7 +/- 0.3, respectively, and the mean weight (g) of mammary carcinomas per rat was 4.3 +/- 1.2 and 4.0 +/- 1.1, respectively (no significant differences). Thus, high levels of dietary fat can significantly enhance mammary carcinogenesis in female rats, but only in animals on an ad libitum feeding protocol. A slight restriction in amount consumed (12% less than ad libitum) abolished the mammary carcinogenic differential between a high-fat and a low-fat diet.
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
authors: C W
authors: CW
authors: Welsch
authors: J L
authors: JL
authors: House
authors: B L
authors: BL
authors: Herr
authors: S J
authors: SJ
authors: Eliasberg
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Welsch
mesh_terms: D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; D000818:Animals; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene