title: Effects of excess vitamin A and canthaxanthin on salivary gland tumors.
abstract: The effects of feeding semipurified diets supplemented with excess retinyl palmitate (20,000 and 100,000 IU/kg), beta-carotene (250 mg/kg), and canthaxanthin (250 mg/kg) on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced salivary gland tumors were studied in rats. None of the dietary supplements had a significant effect on tumor incidence. Tumor weights, however, tended to be lower in rats fed the dietary supplements compared with the controls. The incidence of tumor-bearing rats with large tumors was significantly lower in rats fed canthaxanthin than in the control rats. At termination of the experiment, the levels of vitamin A were higher in plasma, liver, normal salivary glands, and the tumor of rats fed diets supplemented with the higher level of retinyl palmitate. Feeding the canthaxanthin-supplemented diet had the opposite effect on tissue and plasma vitamin A levels. beta-Carotene supplementation was associated with higher vitamin A concentrations in the liver but not in plasma, salivary glands, or the tumor. The levels of beta-carotene were increased in tissues and plasma of rats fed the beta-carotene-supplemented diet. The results suggest that in this experimental model, the diet-induced modification of tissue or plasma vitamin A levels did not have an effect on tumor incidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Medical Center, New Orleans.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.forename: S Q
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Weir
mesh_terms: D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; D000818:Animals; D016644:Canthaxanthin; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004224:Diterpenes; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate; D002338:Carotenoids; D016644:Canthaxanthin; D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene