Chemoprevention of inflammation-related colorectal cancer by silymarin-, acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid-, curcumin- and maltodextrin-enriched dietetic formulation in animal model

Carcinogenesis. 2018 Oct 8;39(10):1274-1282. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgy104.

Abstract

On the basis of preliminary in vitro experience, we assessed whether an enriched nutritional formulation with estrogen receptor (ER)-beta agonist and anti-inflammatory properties may prevent inflammation-associated colorectal cancer (CRC) in an animal model. Study sample enclosed 110 C57BL/6J male mice. Forty underwent dietary supplement safety assessment (20 standard diet and 20 enriched formulation). Seventy were treated with azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium and divided into two groups: 35 received standard diet and 35 enriched formulation (curcumin, boswellic acids, silymarin and maltodextrins). Miniature colonoscopy demonstrated colitis and solid lesion development in five mice/group 100 days after first AOM injection. Mice were killed after 10 days. In each group, four subgroups received intraperitoneal bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) injection at 24th/48th/72nd/96th hour before killing. Anti-inflammatory effect and chemoprevention were evaluated by lesion number/size, histological inflammation/dysplasia/neoplasia assessment, pro-inflammatory cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA), ER-beta/ER-alpha/BrdU immunohistochemistry and TUNEL immunofluorescence. Standard formulation assumption was associated with colon shortening compared with enriched one (P = 0.04), which reduced solid lesion number and size (P < 0.001 for both), histological inflammation score (P = 0.04), pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression (P < 0.001), number of low-grade dysplasia (LGD; P = 0.03) and high-grade dysplasia (P < 0.001) areas. CRC was observed in 69.6% in standard and 23.5% in enriched formulation assuming animals (P < 0.001). Enriched formulation induced lower ER-alpha expression in CRC (P < 0.001) and higher ER-beta expression in LGD (P < 0.001) being associated to higher epithelial turnover (BrdU; P<0.001) in normal mucosa and increased apoptosis in LGD and CRC (P < 0.001 for both). Our results are promising for a successful anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive effect of enriched formulation in CRC arising from inflamed tissue.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Azoxymethane / pharmacology
  • Chemoprevention / methods
  • Colitis / complications
  • Colitis / drug therapy*
  • Colitis / metabolism
  • Colon / metabolism
  • Colon / pathology
  • Colonoscopy
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Curcumin / pharmacology*
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dextran Sulfate / pharmacology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Food, Fortified
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Polysaccharides / pharmacology*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism
  • Silymarin / pharmacology*
  • Triterpenes / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Cytokines
  • Polysaccharides
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Silymarin
  • Triterpenes
  • acetyl-11-ketoboswellic acid
  • maltodextrin
  • Dextran Sulfate
  • Curcumin
  • Azoxymethane