title: Folate deficiency reduces the development of colorectal cancer in rats.
abstract: Alterations in folate status may play an important role in carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a diminished folate status on azoxymethane (AOM)-induced intestinal tumours in Sprague-Dawley rats. A total of 125 weanling male rats were divided into five equal groups and fed semi-purified diets containing either 8 mg/kg folate or no folate. After 4 weeks on experimental diets, all animals received three weekly subcutaneous injections of AOM at a dose rate of 15 mg/kg bodyweight. The animals were necropsied after 26 weeks. Rats with a diminished folate status, evident by significantly reduced blood and colonic folate concentrations and elevated plasma homocysteine levels, had significantly (P < 0.01) lower incidence and number of small intestinal and colonic tumours compared with rats displaying an adequate folate status. There was a significant decrease in the incidence of colonic adenocarcinomas (P < 0.01) and size of colonic tumours observed in the rats displaying a diminished folate status. This study shows that a diminished folate status was associated with a decrease in the development of AOM-induced colorectal cancers. The decrease in risk may be attributed to the known role of folate in cell multiplication.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO, Health Sciences and Nutrition, PO Box 10041 Gouger Street, Adelaide BC, South Australia 5000, Australia. richard.leleu@hsn.csiro.au
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Le Leu
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: McIntosh
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000236:Adenoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D001397:Azoxymethane; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid; D001397:Azoxymethane