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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #125948
Title: SELENIUM-ENRICHED BROCCOLI DECREASES INTESTINAL TUMORIGENESIS IN MULTIPLE INTESTINAL NEOPLASIA (MIN) MICE

Author
item Davis, Cindy
item Zeng, Huawei
item Finley, John

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/23/2001
Publication Date: 2/1/2002
Citation: Davis, C.D., Zeng, H., Finley, J.W. 2002. Selenium-enriched broccoli decreases intestinal tumorigenesis in multiple intestinal neoplasia (Min) mice. Journal of Nutrition. 132:307-309.

Interpretive Summary: Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States and the fourth most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. APC, a gene known to suppress the formation of tumors and is altered early during colon cancer development. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a disease that has been linked to changes in the APC gene known as mutations. Individuals possessing these mutations develop numerous intestinal polyps (precancerous lesions) at an early age. Min (multiple intestinal neoplasia) mice carry a mutation in what is equivalent to the human APC gene and develop intestinal tumors similar to those found in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome. Thus these mice are a good model for the investigation of the effects of dietary alterations on genetic susceptibility for intestinal cancer. The current study investigated whether selenium-enriched broccoli would be protective against intestinal cancer susceptibility in Min mice. Mice fed the selenium-enriched broccoli had a significant decrease in small intestinal and large intestinal tumors compared to mice fed an equivalent amount of broccoli without increased selenium content. These findings suggest that selenium-enriched broccoli can decrease tumor development in a genetic model for human cancer.

Technical Abstract: Multiple intestinal neoplasia (Min) mice are a good model for the investigation of the effects of dietary alterations in a genetic model for intestinal cancer. Previous studies have shown that selenium-enriched broccoli is protective against chemically-induced colon cancer susceptibility. The current study investigated whether selenium-enriched broccoli would be protective against intestinal cancer susceptibility in Min mice. Five wk old heterozygotic male Min mice were fed an AIN- 93 based diet containing either low-selenium broccoli or an equivalent amount of high-selenium broccoli for 10 wk. Mice fed the selenium-enriched broccoli had a significant (p<0.02) decrease in small intestinal (46.4 +/- 3.7 vs. 65.6 +/- 6.1) and large intestinal (0.43 +/- 0.17 vs. 1.93 +/- 0.27) tumors compared to mice fed an equivalent amount of non-enriched broccoli. Mice fed the selenium-enriched broccoli had a 62% increase in the binding of mouse liver nuclear proteins to the p53 regulatory element compared to mice fed the control diet. These results suggest a possible mechanism whereby selenium- enriched broccoli may be inhibiting tumorigenesis and extend previous observations that selenium-enriched broccoli is protective against chemically-induced mammary and colon cancer in rats.