title: Toxicity induced by the chemical carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and the protective effects of selenium in Wistar rats.
abstract: 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), has been used extensively as a tool to initiate mammary carcinogenesis and subsequent chemoprevention. On the other hand, selenium (Se) is potentially useful in oncology because this element possesses anticarcinogenic and chemopreventive properties. Se-containing enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx) play an important role in PAH metabolism and detoxification. In this study, rats were administered a single, oral dose of DMBA (12 mg). In the Se group, rats received 20 microg Se daily via gavage, starting 2 wk before the DMBA administration and continued for 1 wk. One hundred twenty days after DMBA administration the rats were sacrificed and toxicity was evaluated using histopathological and biochemical criteria. Five rats (30%) died in the DMBA group within the study period, whereas no death occurred in the DMBA-Se-treated group. Malignant tumor frequency was 33% in the DMBA group, while no malignant tumors occurred in the DMBA-Se-treated group. Some inflammatory changes rather than epithelial changes were found upon histopathological examination. GPx activity and blood urea nitrogen levels were higher and kidney GST activity was lower in the DMBA-Se-treated group compared to DMBA alone. In conclusion, Se appears to be effective in preventing some of the adverse effects associated with DMBA.
authors: Institute of Oncology, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey. hilal.kocdor@deu.edu.tr
authors: Hilal
authors: H
authors: Kocdor
authors: Ruksan
authors: R
authors: Cehreli
authors: Mehmet Ali
authors: MA
authors: Kocdor
authors: Banu
authors: B
authors: Sis
authors: Osman
authors: O
authors: Yilmaz
authors: Tulay
authors: T
authors: Canda
authors: Binnaz
authors: B
authors: Demirkan
authors: Halil
authors: H
authors: Resmi
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Alakavuklar
authors: Omer
authors: O
authors: Harmancioglu
mesh_terms: D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012643:Selenium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; D012643:Selenium