title: Induction of aberrant crypts in murine colon with varying sensitivity to colon carcinogenesis.
abstract: Repetitive treatment with the organotropic colon carcinogen, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), produces tumors in susceptible mouse strains that exhibit pathological features associated with the human disease. As in human populations, the genetic background of laboratory animals comprises a significant component to this organ-specific carcinogenesis, and several mouse lines, including AKR/J and DBA/2J are highly resistant to the tumorigenic effects of DMH. During the course of ongoing studies to establish phenotypic differences between susceptible (SWR/J and P/J) and resistant strains, we have examined the colonic mucosa of DMH-treated mice for the presence of aberrant crypt foci (ACF). ACF represent an early morphological lesion in stepwise progression of colon cancer. In Experiment 1, 6-week-old SWR/J and AKR/J mice were injected with DMH (35 and 20 mg/kg, respectively) once a week for 2 weeks. Five weeks later, colons were removed and ACF visualized at low magnification by light microscopy after methylene blue-staining. Only SWR/J mice revealed focal atypia indicative of preneoplastic change. To obtain additional information about their morphology, tissue sections containing ACF were sectioned and stained with H&E. ACF are larger and have a thicker epithelial lining than normal crypts. H&E confirmed the absence of these lesions in untreated SWR/J and DMH-exposed AKR/J mice. In Experiment 2, SWR/J and DBA/2J mice were injected with DMH (35 mg/kg) once a week for 2 weeks. Nine weeks later, colons were analyzed for ACF formation. Comparable to the first experiment, no ACF were observed in the colonic mucosa of the resistant DBA/2J line. In contrast, ACF were readily identified in the middle and distal colons of similarly exposed SWR/J mice. This differential response between resistant and susceptible mouse lines further supports an important role for ACF in the stepwise progression of colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-2092, USA.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D019813:1,2-Dimethylhydrazine; D000818:Animals; D015197:Carcinogenicity Tests; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004127:Dimethylhydrazines / Q000633:toxicity*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D004127:Dimethylhydrazines; D019813:1,2-Dimethylhydrazine