title: Inhibition of chronic ulcerative colitis-associated adenocarcinoma development in mice by VSL#3.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal cancer is the most severe complication in inflammatory bowel disease. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the probiotic VSL#3 when administered as either preventive or concurrent treatment in the progression from chronic colitis to colon cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were exposed to 5, 10, and 15 cycles of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS); each cycle consisted of 0.7% DSS for 1 week followed by distilled water for 10 days. VSL#3 was administered either from 2 weeks before the colitis induction or from the first day of the colitis until being killed. After each period, macroscopic and histological studies, as well as analysis of inflammatory and tumor biomarkers, were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prophylactic or concurrent VSL#3 administration attenuated the disease activity index score and colon inflammation after 5, 10, and 15 cycles of DSS, as well as reduced the histological alterations and the incidence of colonic dysplastic lesions at the 3 periods studied. None of the animals receiving VSL#3 as a concurrent treatment developed carcinoma, which is in contrast to 5% and 20% of the mice following preventive VSL#3 administration, developing carcinoma at the 10th and the 15th cycles of DSS, respectively. In addition, the probiotic reduced the proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 production, cyclooxygenase-2 expression, and increased interleukin-10 levels in colon tissue at the 3 periods assayed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VSL#3 administration reduced chronic inflammation and prevented or delayed the development of dysplasia and carcinoma in a mouse model of chronic colitis-associated cancer.
authors: *Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain; †Research Group Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Atlantic University, Barranquilla, Colombia; and ‡Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Talero
authors: Samir
authors: S
authors: Bolivar
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Ávila-Román
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Alcaide
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Fiorucci
authors: Virginia
authors: V
authors: Motilva
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016264:Dextran Sulfate / Q000633:toxicity; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2