title: Chemoprevention of precursors to colon cancer by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).
abstract: Although dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is recognized as one of the major adrenal androgens, its precise physiological role in the human endocrine system remains to be elucidated. In particular, the effect of DHEA on carcinogenesis has not been fully characterized. We undertook this study to determine whether DHEA has a chemopreventative effect on the precursors of colon cancer in a murine model of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF). The number of ACF was significantly decreased in mice treated with 0.4% (p < 0.001) and 0.8% DHEA (p < 0.001), but there were no significant differences between DHEA-treated and control mice in terms of the ACF size, 3-catenin expression or level of dysplasia. This is the first study of colon cancer carcinogenesis demonstrating that DHEA treatment can decrease the number of ACF without apparently modifying their malignant potential. These data strongly suggest that DHEA might be a potential chemopreventative agent against human colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Osawa
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Omura
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagase
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsuhashi
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakagama
authors.forename: Hisahiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sekihara
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001397:Azoxymethane / Q000633:toxicity; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D018890:Chemoprevention; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; C495267:CTNNB1 protein, mouse; D002273:Carcinogens; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D001397:Azoxymethane