Essential similarities between spontaneous and MeIQx-promoted aberrant crypt foci in the F344 rat colon

Bladder carcinogenesis in rats subjected to ureterosigmoidostomy and treated with L-lysine

OBJECTIVE

to evaluate the effect of L-lysine in the bladder and intestinal epithelia in rats submitted to vesicosigmoidostomy.

METHODS

we divided forty Wistar rats into four groups: group I - control group (Sham); group II - submitted to vesicosigmoidostomy and treated with L-lysine 150mg/kg; group III - submitted only to vesicosigmoidostomy; and group IV - received L-lysine 150mg/kg. After eight weeks the animals were sacrificed.

RESULTS

in the bladders of all operated animals we observed simple, papillary and nodular hyperplasia of transitional cells, transitional cell papillomas and squamous metaplasia. As for the occurrence of aberrant crypt foci in the colons of operated animals, we did not observe statistically significant differences in any of the distal, proximal and medium fragments, or in all fragments together (p=1.0000).

CONCLUSION

Although statistically there was no promotion of carcinogenesis in the epithelia of rats treated with L-lysine in the observed time, it was clear the histogenesis of bladder carcinogenesis in its initial phase in all operated rats, this being probably associated with chronic infection and tiny bladder stones.

OBJETIVO

o objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o efeito da L-lisina nos epitélios vesical e intestinal de ratas submetidas à vesicossigmoidostomia.

MÉTODOS

quarenta ratas Wistar, foram divididas em quatro grupos: grupo I- grupo controle (Sham); grupo II- submetido à vesicossigmoidostomia e tratado com L-lisina 150mg/kg; grupo III- submetido apenas à vesicossigmoidostomia; e grupo IV- recebeu L-lisina 150mg/kg. Após oito semanas os animais foram sacrificados.

RESULTADOS

na bexiga de todos os animais operados observou-se hiperplasia simples, papilar e nodular de células transicionais, papiloma de células transicionais e metaplasia escamosa. Quanto à ocorrência de focos de criptas aberrantes nos colos dos animais operados, não foi evidenciado diferença estatística significante em nenhum dos fragmentos distal, proximal e médio, e todos juntos (P=1,0000).

CONCLUSÃO

apesar de, estatisticamente, não ter havido promoção de carcinogênese nos epitélios dos ratos tratados com L-lisina, no tempo observado, é nítida a histogênese da carcinogênese de bexiga em sua fase inicial, no epitélio vesical, em todos os ratos operados, estando esta provavelmente associada à infecção crônica e aos diminutos cálculos vesicais.

The influence of chronic L-carnitine supplementation on the formation of preneoplastic and atherosclerotic lesions in the colon and aorta of male F344 rats

L-Carnitine, a key component of fatty acid oxidation, is nowadays being extensively used as a nutritional supplement with allegedly "fat burning" and performance-enhancing properties, although to date there are no conclusive data supporting these claims. Furthermore, there is an inverse relationship between exogenous supplementation and bioavailability, i.e., fairly high oral doses are not fully absorbed and thus a significant amount of carnitine remains in the gut. Human and rat enterobacteria can degrade unabsorbed L-carnitine to trimethylamine or trimethylamine-N-oxide, which, under certain conditions, may be transformed to the known carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine. Recent findings indicate that trimethylamine-N-oxide might also be involved in the development of atherosclerotic lesions. We therefore investigated whether a 1-year administration of different L-carnitine concentrations (0, 1, 2 and 5 g/l) via drinking water leads to an increased incidence of preneoplastic lesions (so-called aberrant crypt foci) in the colon of Fischer 344 rats as well as to the appearance of atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta of these animals. No significant difference between the test groups regarding the formation of lesions in the colon and aorta of the rats was observed, suggesting that, under the given experimental conditions, L-carnitine up to a concentration of 5 g/l in the drinking water does not have adverse effects on the gastrointestinal and vascular system of Fischer 344 rats.

Ethanol Does Not Promote MeIQx-initiated Rat Colon Carcinogenesis Based on Evidence from Analysis of a Colon Cancer Surrogate Marker

Epidemiological studies suggest that alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, the data are confounded by numerous cosegregating variables. To cast further light on the relationships between alcohol intake and colon cancer development, 21-day-old male F344/DuCrj rats were fed 200 ppm 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) in their diet for 8 weeks and doses of 0, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10 and 20% of ethanol in their drinking water ad libitum for 16 weeks thereafter. The rats were sacrificed after 24 weeks of experiment, and aberrant crypt foci (ACF), surrogate lesions for colon cancer, were examined under a light microscope at low magnification. Ethanol was found not to affect the ACF formation at any dose compared with the initiated-controls. Furthermore, ethanol did not alter colon epithelial cell proliferation. These data, obtained by analysis of a colon cancer surrogate marker lesion, indicate that ethanol lacks promotion activity for MeIQx-initiated rat colon carcinogenesis.

Stability and reactivity of 2-nitrosoamino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline

2-Nitrosoamino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (N-NO-MeIQx) is a nitrosation product of the food carcinogen 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) and is proposed to form in vivo under inflammatory conditions. This study evaluated the stability and reactivity of N-NO-MeIQx to assess its possible role in the initiation of colon cancer by MeIQx. 14C-N-NO-MeIQx (4 microM) was incubated for 4 h over a range of pH values, and its stability was monitored by HPLC. At pH values from pH 7.4 to 9.0, N-NO-MeIQx was very stable with no detectable change observed. Glutathione (1 mM) did not alter stability at pH 7.4. As the pH decreased, this nitrosamine was less stable with only 48 +/- 1% remaining at pH 5.5 and none remaining at pH 3.5 or 2.0. Major products identified by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry were 3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline and 2-hydroxy-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline. MeIQx was a minor product. At pH 2.0, the t(1/2) for N-NO-MeIQx was reduced from 2.1 +/- 0.2 to 1.2 +/- 0.1 min with 10 mM NaN3. This effect of azide was due to the formation of 2-azido-MeIQx. The binding of 14C-N-NO-MeIQx to DNA increased with decreasing pH. The 10-fold increase in binding observed at pH 2.0 as compared to pH 5.5 was completely inhibited by 10 mM NaN3 due to 2-azido-MeIQx formation. The reactivity of N-NO-MeIQx was compared to N-OH-MeIQx by evaluating adduct formation with 2'-deoxyguanosine 3'-monophosphate (dGp) by 32P-postlabeling. N-OH-MeIQx formed a single major adduct, N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-MeIQx (dG-C8-MeIQx). Incubation of N-NO-MeIQx under inflammatory conditions (pH 5.5 +/- HOCl) produced dG-C8-MeIQx along with 4-6 other adducts. dG-C8-MeIQx formation increased in the presence of HOCl. Liver from a MeIQx-treated mouse contained dG-C8-MeIQx and two other adducts detected with N-NO-MeIQx but not N-OH-MeIQx. These results suggest that N-NO-MeIQx could be genotoxic, is activated by conditions that mediate inflammatory responses, and is a possible cancer risk factor for individuals with inflammation of the colon.

Nitric oxide-mediated nitrosation of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline potentiated by hemin and myeloperoxidase

N-Nitrosamines formed by nitrosation of heterocyclic amines might initiate colon cancer in individuals consuming well-done red meat diets and with inflammatory conditions in their colon. This study investigates nitric oxide (NO)-mediated nitrosation of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) and the influence of dietary (hemin) and inflammatory [NO, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and H(2)O(2)] components on nitrosation. Using the NO donor spermine NONOate (1.2 microM NO/min) at pH 7.4 with 0.005 mM MeIQx, a product due to NO autoxidation was at the limit of detection (1% of total radioactivity recovered by HPLC). Product formation increased 13- or 16-fold in the presence of 10 microM hemin or 85 nM MPO, respectively, with an in situ system for generating H(2)O(2) (glucose oxidase/glucose). The nitrosation product and its chloro derivative were analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and the product was determined to be 2-nitrosoamino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (N-NO-MeIQx). Nitrosation by NO autoxidation was only detected at > or =1.2 microM NO/min and was not affected by H(2)O(2). Investigations with hemin determined minimum effective components necessary for potentiation: 1 microM hemin, 1 microM H(2)O(2)/min, and 0.012 microM NO/min. The reactive nitrogen oxygen species (RNOS) produced by hemin and MPO had a 4- and 3-fold, respectively, greater affinity for MeIQx than those produced by NO autoxidation. Test agents were used to characterize nitrosation. Results with catalase, SOD, azide, and NADH are consistent with multiple RNOS, the lack of peroxynitrite involvement in nitrosation, and peroxidatic potentiation by oxidative nitrosylation rather than nitrosation. Using phorbol ester stimulated human neutrophils, the formation of N-NO-MeIQx and its modification by test agents was consistent with MPO and not peroxynitrite. Thus, nitrosation of MeIQx and its potentiation by hemin and MPO provide a mechanism by which well-done red meat consumption and inflammation can generate N-nitroso compounds and initiate colon cancer under inflammatory conditions, such as colitis.

Mutant KRAS in aberrant crypt foci (ACF): initiation of colorectal cancer?

Since aberrant crypt foci (ACF) were first described in 1987, they have been the subjects of hundreds of papers; however, the debate continues about their role in colorectal tumorigenesis. This review focuses on the many phenotypic, genetic and epigenetic alterations in ACF that support the hypothesis that ACF are putative precursors of colorectal cancer in both humans and experimental animals. Human ACF, both with and without dysplasia, are monoclonal and display evidence of chromosomal instability. Both of these characteristics are shared by colorectal cancers. While most ACF do not have APC mutations, a large proportion has KRAS mutations and methylated SFRP1 and SFRP2 genes. This epigenetic inactivation gives rise to constitutive Wnt signaling in these putative precursors of colorectal cancer.

Significance and role of early-lesions in experimental colorectal carcinogenesis

Preneoplastic or precancerous lesions in the large bowel have attracted much attention, and aberrant crypt foci (ACF) topographically identified in the colonic mucosa have found application as effective endpoint lesions for detection of chemopreventive agents as well as carcinogenic risk assessment of environmental agents. While many ACF are regarded as hyperplastic in nature, lacking the potential lesion to give rise to neoplasia, a subset termed dysplastic ACF, or newly identified "mucin depleted foci (MDF)", and "beta-catenin accumulated crypts (BCAC)" are suggested to be more reliably related to colorectal tumorigenesis in rodents. ACF and MDF can be visualized on the surface of colonic mucosa and BCAC were recently identified by our laboratory in rodents en face in cross sections. In particular, BCAC having a similar pattern of beta-catenin gene mutation to that observed in colonic carcinomas appear to be direct precursors. This review provides a review and discussion of the relevant literature relative to early lesions in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Colonic adenocarcinomas rapidly induced by the combined treatment with 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine and dextran sodium sulfate in male ICR mice possess beta-catenin gene mutations and increases immunoreactivity for beta-catenin, cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase

Heterocyclic amines are known to be important environmental carcinogens in several organs including the colon. The aim of this study was to induce colonic epithelial malignancies within a short-term period and analyze the expression of cycooxygenase (COX)-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and beta-catenin, and mutations of beta-catenin gene in induced tumors. Male Crj: CD-1 mice were given a single i.g. administration (200 mg/kg body wt) of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) or 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) followed by 2% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in the drinking water for a week. The expression of beta-catenin, COX-2 and iNOS was immunohistochemically assessed in colonic epithelial lesions and the beta-catenin gene mutations in colonic adenocarcinomas induced were analyzed by the single strand conformation polymorphism method, restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphism and direct sequencing. At week 16, a high incidence of colonic neoplasms with dysplastic lesions developed in mice that received PhIP and DSS, but only a few developed in those given MeIQx and DSS. Immunohistochemically, the adenocarcinomas induced were all positive for three proteins. All seven adenocarcinomas induced by PhIP and DSS have mutations. The findings suggest that DSS exerts powerful tumor-promoting effects on PhIP-initiated colon carcinogenesis in mice and this mouse model is useful for investigating environment-related colon carcinogenesis within a short-term period.

Aberrant crypt foci and beta-catenin accumulated crypts; significance and roles for colorectal carcinogenesis

Preneoplastic or precancerous lesions in the large bowel have been characterized in terms of morphology and histochemical phenotype. However, the detailed histogenesis and relation of particular lesions to malignancies has not yet to be unequivocally clarified. Aberrant crypt foci (ACF), identified in whole-mount preparations of colonic mucosa in rodents and also recognized in human colon, are now frequently used as effective surrogate biomarkers for experimentally detection of chemopreventive agents against colorectal cancers, but the preneoplastic or precancerous nature of ACF in rodents and humans still remains inconclusive. Relatively recently, early appearing beta-catenin accumulated crypts (BCAC) have been described in en face preparations of colonic mucosa in rodents which differ from ACF in many features. BCAC are suggested to be premalignant rather than preneoplastic. The pathological significance of both lesions, including their advantages and disadvantages as surrogate end points for large bowel neoplasms, and roles in colorectal carcinogenesis are discussed here.