Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis ›› 2017, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (1): 7-12.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-616x.2017.01.002

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Inhibitory effect and immunological mechanism of Lactobacillus casei on induction of breast cancer by 7, 12-dimethylbenz (a)anthracene in rats

LIANG Zhengyan1, LIU Ying2, XUE Meilan2, LIU Jia3, LIANG Hui1   

  1. 1. College of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021;
    2. College of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071;
    3. College of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, Shandong, China
  • Received:2016-08-08 Revised:2016-09-28 Online:2017-01-31 Published:2017-01-31

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Lactobacillus casei on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induction of breast cancer in rats. METHODS: Female Spraque-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group (C),model group (M),low dose group of Lactobacillus casei (L1) and high dose group of Lactobacillus casei (L2). The rats were subcutaneously injected with 100 mg/kg DMBA to establish breast cancer rat model. 4 and 8 mL/kg Lactobacillus casei were administered to L1 and L2 by gavage,respectively,1 time/day,for 16 weeks in total. The latency of breast cancer in rats and Lactobacillus casei's tumor suppression rate were determined. The percentages of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells were quantified in peripheral blood of rat by flow cytometry. In addition,thymus index,spleen index and the level of interleukin 4(IL-4),IL-6,IL-10,IL-12,interferon γ (IFN-γ),and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in serum were evaluated. RESULTS: No tumor was detected in group C,whereas tumors were formed in the remaining three groups. Compared with the model group,the L2 group had extended latency of tumors,reduced tumor incidence and tumor weights (P < 0.05). In addition,the tumor inhibition rate in the same group reached 41.2%,the thymus index was increased significantly (P < 0.05),the percentage of TCRαβ+ CD161a+ NK cells and the CD3+CD8+ T cells were both increased significantly (P < 0.05),while the proportion of CD3+Foxp3+ T cells was decreased significantly (P < 0.05). ELISA results showed that,compared with the control group,the concentration of IL-4 was decreased in the model group while the concentrations of IL-6,IL-12 and TNF-α were increased (P < 0.05). In the L2 group,the concentration of IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly higher than those in the model group while the concentrations of IL-6 and IL-12 were decreased respectively (P < 0.05). In the L1 and L2 groups,TNF-α concentrations were decreased significantly compared with the model group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Lactobacillus casei supplementation can inhibit the induction of tumors by DMBA in rats. A possible mechanism may involve immune-regulatory effects on the breast cancer rat model via improving the levels of inflammation-associated cytokines and changing the distribution of CD3+CD4+,CD3+CD8+ T cells,NK cells and regulatory T cells.

Key words: breast carcinoma, Lactobacillus casei, immune regulation, anti-tumor

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