Abstract
The effects of unsaturated fat and fiber (cellulose) on the growth of human colon cancer explanted to athymic nude mice was evaluated. Eighty-seven male nude mice bearing xenografts of human HT29 or WiDr colon cancer were divided into three groups of equal weight and tumor volume. Each group was fed one of three diets: normal fat/no fiber (N/N), high fat/no fiber (H/N) or high fat/high fiber (H/H). To equalize caloric intake, animals in the H/N group received 4 g of food per day and the other animals were fed 5 g of food per day. At sacrifice tumor volume and weight was recorded, and tumors were analyzed for protein and DNA content and ornithine decarboxylase activity. Tumor volume, weight, and protein were greater in the H/N group compared to the N/N group for both colon cancer cell lines. Tumor DNA content was greater in the HT29 H/N group compared to the N/N group (P<0.05) and tumor ornithine decarboxylase activity in the WiDr H/N group was greater than the N/N animals (P<0.002). The tumor growth-promoting effects of the high unsaturated fat diet were attenuated by the addition of fiber. Animal weight was higher in the H/N group compared to the N/N and H/H groups. This study suggested that a high-fat diet stimulated and fiber decreased the growth of human colon cancer explanted to athymic nude mice. The growth-promoting effects of a high-fat diet in colorectal cancer may be due in part to a circulating trophic factor since these tumors were remote from the large intestine.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barkett DP: Epidemiology of cancer of the colon and rectum. Cancer 28:3–13, 1971
Bjelke E: Epidemiologic studies of cancer of the stomach, colon and rectum with special emphasis on the role of diet. Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl 9:1–235, 1974
Weisburger JH, Reddy BS, Barnes WS, Wynder EL: Bile acids, but not neutral sterols, are tumor promoters in the colon in man and rodents. Environ Health Perspect 50:101–107, 1983
Reddy BS, Maeura Y: Tumor promotion by dietary fat in azoxymethane-induced colon carcinogenesis in female F344 rats: Influence of amount and source of dietary fat. J Natl Cancer Inst 72:745–750, 1984
Sakaguchi M, Hiramatsu Y, Takada H, Yamamura M, Hioki K, Saito K, Yamamoto M: Effect of dietary unsaturated and saturated fats on azoxymethane-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats. Cancer Res 44:1472–1477, 1984
Bull AW, Soullier BK, Wilson PS, Hayden MT, Nigro ND: Promotion of azoxymethane-induced intestinal cancer by high fat in rats. Cancer Res 39:4956–4959, 1979
Rozhin J, Wilson PS, Bull AW, Nigro ND: Ornithine decarboxylase activity in the rat and human colon. Cancer Res 44:3226–3230, 1984
Lipkin M: Dietary, environmental, and hereditary factors in the development of colorectal cancer. CA-Cancer J Clin 29:291–299, 1979
Kritchevsky D: Fiber, steroids, and cancer. Cancer Res 43:2491s-2495s, 1983
Jacobs LR, Lupton JR: Relationship between colonic luminal pH, cell proliferation, and colon carcinogenesis in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine treated rats fed high fiber diets. Cancer Res 46:1727–1734, 1986
Armstrong B, Doll R: Environmental factors and cancer incidence and mortality in different countries, with special reference to dietary practices. Int J Cancer 15:617–631, 1975
Rogers AE, Nauss KM: Rodent models for carcinoma of the colon. Dig Dis Sci 30:87S-102S, 1985
Smith JP, Kramer S, Bagheri S: Effects of a high-fat diet and L364,718 on growth of human pancreas cancer. Dig Dis Sci 35:726–732, 1990
Osieka R, Houchess DP, Goldin A, Johnson RF: Chemotherapy of human colon cancer xenografts in athymic nude mice. Cancer 40:2640–2650, 1977
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RS: Protein determination with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275, 1951
Burton K: A study of the condition and mechanisms of the diphenylamine reaction for the calorimetric determination of the deoxyribonucleic acid. Biochem J 62:315–323, 1956
Pegg AE, Seely JC: Ornithine decarboxylase (mouse kidney). Methods Enzymol. 94:158–166, 1983
Reisser D, Lagadec P, Pelletier H, Fady C, Olsson WO, Jeannin JF: Lack of effect of a high polyunsaturated fat diet in the growth of transplantable colon tumors and on the cytolytic activity of macrophages in rats. Reprod Nutr Dev 27:1013–1021, 1987
Smith JP, Solomon TE: Effects of gastrin, proglumide and somatostatin on growth of human colon cancer. Gastroenterology 95:1541–1548, 1988
Sinkeldan EJ, Kuper CF, Bosland MC, Hollander VM, Vedder DM: Interactive effects of dietary wheat bran and lard onN-methyl-N 1-nitro-N-nitrosoquanidine-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats. Cancer Res 50:1092–1096, 1990
Nutter RL, Gridley DS, Kettering JD, Andres MC, Aprecio RM, Slater JM: Modification of a transplantable colon tumor and immune responses in mice fed different sources of protein, fat and carbohydrate. Cancer Lett 18:49–62, 1983
Reddy BS, Tanaka T, Simi B: Effect of different levels of dietary trans fat or corn oil on azoxymethane-induced colon carcinogenesis in F344 rats. J Natl Cancer Inst 75:791–798, 1985
Reddy BS, Chung-Xiou W, Marayama H: Effect of restricted caloric intake on azoxymethane-induced colon tumor incidence in male F344 rats. Cancer Res 47:1226–1228, 1987
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The study was support in part by grants IR29 CA45468(TJM) and CA50303(JPS) from the National Institutes of Health, and by the Research services the Veteran's Administration.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McGarrity, T.J., Peiffer, L.P., Kramer, S.T. et al. Effects of fat and fiber on human colon cancer xenografted to athymic nude mice. Digest Dis Sci 36, 1606–1610 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296405
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296405