(-)-Epigallocatechin gallate suppresses azoxymethane-induced colonic premalignant lesions in male C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice.

Abstract

Obesity and diabetes mellitus are risk factors for colon cancer. The activation of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)/IGF-IR axis plays a critical role in this carcinogenesis. (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major constituent of green tea, seems to have both antiobesity and antidiabetic effects. This study examined the effects of EGCG on the development of azoxymethane-induced colonic premalignant lesions in C57BL/KsJ-db/db (db/db) mice, which are obese and develop diabetes mellitus. Male db/db mice were given four weekly s.c. injections of azoxymethane (15 mg/kg body weight) and then they received drinking water containing 0.01% or 0.1% EGCG for 7 weeks. At sacrifice, drinking water with EGCG caused a significant decrease in the number of total aberrant crypt foci, large aberrant crypt foci, and beta-catenin accumulated crypts in these mice, all of which are premalignant lesions of the colon. The colonic mucosa of db/db mice expressed high levels of the IGF-IR, phosphorylated form of IGF-IR (p-IGF-IR), p-GSK-3beta, beta-catenin, cyclooxygenase-2, and cyclin D1 proteins, and EGCG in drinking water caused a marked decrease in the expression of these proteins. Treating these mice with EGCG also caused an increase in the serum level of IGFBP-3 while conversely decreasing the serum levels of IGF-I, insulin, triglyceride, cholesterol, and leptin. EGCG overcomes the activation of the IGF/IGF-IR axis, thereby inhibiting the development of colonic premalignant lesions in an obesity-related colon cancer model, which was also associated with hyperlipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperleptinemia. EGCG may be, therefore, useful in the chemoprevention or treatment of obesity-related colorectal cancer.

• Authors: Masahito Shimizu, Yohei Shirakami, Hiroyasu Sakai, Seiji Adachi, Kazuya Hata, Yoshinobu Hirose, Hisashi Tsurumi, Takuji Tanaka, Hisataka Moriwaki
• Journal: Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Cancer Prev Res (Phila)) Vol. 1 Issue 4 Pg. 298-304 (Sep 2008) ISSN: 1940-6215 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 19138973 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anticarcinogenic Agents
• Insulin
• Leptin
• Triglycerides
• Catechin
• Cholesterol
• epigallocatechin gallate
• Receptor, IGF Type 1
• Azoxymethane

Topics

• Animals
• Anticarcinogenic Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Azoxymethane (toxicity)
• Carcinoma (chemically induced, metabolism, prevention & control)
• Catechin (analogs & derivatives, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Cholesterol (blood)
• Colonic Neoplasms (chemically induced, metabolism, prevention & control)
• Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental (blood, metabolism, pathology)
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
• Insulin (blood)
• Intestinal Mucosa (metabolism, pathology)
• Leptin (blood)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Precancerous Conditions (blood, chemically induced, metabolism, pathology)
• Receptor, IGF Type 1 (metabolism)
• Triglycerides (blood)