Food-borne radiolytic compounds (2-alkylcyclobutanones)may promote experimental colon carcinogenesis.
Food irradiation is acknowledged as a safe process to improve food quality by reducing microbial contamination. Information on the toxicological potential of 2-alkylcyclobutanones (2-ACBs), radiolytic derivatives of triglycerides found exclusively in irradiated food, is scarce. Wistar rats received daily a solution of highly pure 2-tetradecylcyclobutanone (2-tDCB) or 2-(tetradec-5-enyl)-cyclobutanone (2-tDeCB) at a concentration of 0.005% in 1% ethanol as drinking fluid, while control animals received 1% ethanol. All animals received a single intraperitoneal injection of the chemical carcinogen azoxymethane (AOM) at Weeks 3 and 4. At 3 mo after AOM injection, no significant changes were observed in the total number of preneoplastic lesions in the colon of AOM controls and 2-ACB-treated animals. After 6 mo, the total number of tumors in the colon was threefold higher in the 2-ACB-treated animals than in the AOM controls. The colon of four of six AOM control rats exhibited only one small tumor ( &6 mm3). Multiple tumors were observed in four and three of six animals treated with 2-tDCB or 2-tDeCB, respectively. Medium (6 < S < 25 mm3) and larger (>25 mm3) tumors were detected only in 2-ACB-treated animals. This is the first demonstration that a compound found exclusively in irradiated dietary fats may promote colon carcinogenesis in animals treated with a chemical carcinogen.
Laboratoire d'Oncologie Nutritionnelle, F-67000 Strasbourg, France. francis.raul@ircad.u-strasbg.fr
Francis
F
Raul
Francine
F
Gosse
Henry
H
Delincee
Andrea
A
Hartwig
Eric
E
Marchioni
Michel
M
Miesch
Dalal
D
Werner
Dominique
D
Burnouf
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001397:Azoxymethane / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*; D003503:Cyclobutanes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005514:Food Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D002273:Carcinogens; D003503:Cyclobutanes; D001397:Azoxymethane