Effects of soybean flour on the pancreas of rats.
We have reviewed the growth-promoting and carcinogenic effects of feeding raw soya flour to rats. If the raw soya flour-containing diets are fed for more than a year, about 10% of the animals develop pancreatic cancer. In addition, feeding raw soya flour markedly potentiates the action of even subthreshold amounts of pancreatic carcinogens. The raw soya flour therefore acts as a potent promoter, as well as a weak carcinogen. In view of this promotion, the rat fed raw soya flour is a sensitive model for screening pancreatic carcinogens. It is not known whether the human pancreas responds to dietary trypsin inhibitors in a manner similar to the rat. However, in view of the use of soya-based products in human nutrition--especially in infant foods--we urge that the effect of all soya-based products intended for human use be tested on the rat pancreas in long-term feeding studies, combined with subthreshold doses of azaserine to highlight any promoting activity of the product. It seems probable that if a product exerts no effect on the rat pancreas, the human pancreas will also be spared from noxious effects.
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004032:Diet; D005433:Flour / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008892:Milk / Q000009:adverse effects; D010179:Pancreas / Q000254:growth & development; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D013025:Glycine max
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002273:Carcinogens; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA