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BMC Gastroenterology
Published in: BMC Gastroenterology 1/2009

Open Access 01-12-2009 | Research article

Lack of efficacy of blueberry in nutritional prevention of azoxymethane-initiated cancers of rat small intestine and colon

Authors: Frank A Simmen, Julie A Frank, Xianli Wu, Rijin Xiao, Leah J Hennings, Ronald L Prior

Published in: BMC Gastroenterology | Issue 1/2009

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Abstract

Background

Blueberries may lower relative risk for cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Previous work indicated an inhibitory effect of consumed blueberry (BB) on formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in colons of male Fisher F344 rats (inbred strain). However, effects of BB on colon tumors and in both genders are unknown.

Methods

We examined efficacy of BB in inhibition of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon ACF and intestine tumors in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats (outbred strain). Pregnant rats were fed a diet with or without 10% BB powder; progeny were weaned to the same diet as their dam and received AOM as young adults.

Results

Male and female rats on control diet had similar numbers of ACF at 6 weeks after AOM administration. BB increased (P < 0.05) ACF numbers within the distal colon of female but not male rats. There was a significant (P < 0.05) diet by gender interaction with respect to total colon ACF number. Colon and duodenum tumor incidences were less in females than males at 17 weeks after AOM. BB tended (0.1 > P > 0.05) to reduce overall gastrointestinal tract tumor incidence in males, however, tumor incidence in females was unaffected (P > 0.1) by BB. There was a tendency (0.1 > P > 0.05) for fewer adenocarcinomas (relative to total of adenomatous polyps plus adenocarcinomas) in colons of female than male tumor-bearing rats; in small intestine, this gender difference was significant (P < 0.05). BB favored (P < 0.05) fewer adenocarcinomas and more adenomatous polyps (as a proportion of total tumor number) in female rat small intestine.

Conclusion

Results did not indicate robust cancer-preventive effects of BB. Blueberry influenced ACF occurrence in distal colon and tumor progression in duodenum, in gender-specific fashion. Data indicate the potential for slowing tumor progression (adenomatous polyp to adenocarcinoma) by BB.
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Metadata
Title
Lack of efficacy of blueberry in nutritional prevention of azoxymethane-initiated cancers of rat small intestine and colon
Authors
Frank A Simmen
Julie A Frank
Xianli Wu
Rijin Xiao
Leah J Hennings
Ronald L Prior
Publication date
01-12-2009
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Gastroenterology / Issue 1/2009
Electronic ISSN: 1471-230X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-230X-9-67

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