Dietary catechin delays tumor onset in a transgenic mouse model.
BACKGROUND
Evidence exists that red wine, which contains a large array of polyphenols, is protective against cardiovascular disease and possibly cancer.


OBJECTIVE
We tested the hypothesis that catechin, the major monomeric polyphenol in red wine, can delay tumor onset in transgenic mice that spontaneously develop tumors.


METHODS
Mice were fed a nutritionally complete amino acid-based diet supplemented with (+)-catechin (0-8 mmol/kg diet) or alcohol-free solids from red wine. Mice were examined daily; the age at which a first tumor appeared was recorded as the age at tumor onset. Plasma catechin and metabolite concentrations were quantified at the end of the study.


RESULTS
Dietary catechin significantly delayed tumor onset; a positive, linear relation was observed between the age at tumor onset and either the amount of dietary catechin (r(2) = 0.761, P < 0.001) or plasma catechin and metabolite concentrations (r(2) = 0.408, P = 0.003). No significant effects on tumor onset were observed when mice consumed a diet supplemented with wine solids containing <0.22 mmol catechin/kg diet, whereas a previous study showed that wine solids with a similar total polyphenol concentration but containing approximately 4 times more catechin significantly delayed tumor onset by approximately 30 d compared with a control diet. The catechin composition of the wines is directly related to processing conditions during vinification.


CONCLUSIONS
Physiologic intakes of specific dietary polyphenols, such as catechin, may play an important role in cancer chemoprevention. Wines have different polyphenol concentrations and compositions; therefore, the overall health benefits of individual wines differ.
D000375:Aging; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D002392:Catechin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010636:Phenols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D014920:Wine / Q000032:analysis
D000596:Amino Acids; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D011108:Polymers; D002392:Catechin