Initiation of carcinogenesis by a dietary deficiency of choline in the absence of added carcinogens.
The feeding for 10 or 11 weeks of young male Fischer-344 rats, a diet devoid of choline and low in methionine, leads to the appearance of gamma-glutamyltransferase-positive foci of altered hepatocytes in the liver and to the induction of initiated resistant hepatocytes. The latter are known to contain the primary precursor cells for the ultimate development of hepatocellular carcinoma. This initiation of carcinogenesis with the choline-devoid diet is prevented by added choline. These observations indicate that a dietary deficiency may, by itself, without known contaminating or added carcinogens, initiate the carcinogenic process.
D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens; D002796:Choline Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D004032:Diet; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000172:deficiency; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
D002273:Carcinogens; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008715:Methionine; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase