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Reduction of N-Nitrosodiethylamine Carcinogenesis in Rats by Lipotrope or Amino Acid Supplementation of a Marginally Deficient Diet¹

Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

In studies in this and other laboratories, induction of hepatocarcinoma by several different chemical carcinogens was enhanced in rats fed diets deficient in lipotropes (choline, methionine, folic acid), amino acids, and niacin, and high in fat. In some cases, specific supplementation with lipotropes blocked carcinogenesis.

In studies reported here, specific supplementation of a marginally deficient diet that enhanced carcinogenesis in rats, with the amino acids or lipotropes in which it was deficient, significantly decreased induction of hepatocarcinoma by N-nitrosodiethylamine. Niacin supplementation decreased hepatocarcinoma incidence only slightly; the addition of beef fat to an adequate diet did not enhance tumor induction. Rats fed the amino acid- or lipotrope-supplemented diets had an increased incidence of hepatic hemangioendothelial sarcomas, compared to deficient rats or to rats fed the adequate control diet. Methionine was contained in both the amino acid and the lipotrope supplement and probably was responsible for reducing hepatocarcinoma incidence.

Methionine has been found to have an anticarcinogenic effect in other studies and also to block the depletion of hepatic folate stores that is induced by N-nitrosodiethylamine. Interactions between carcinogens, S-adenosylmethionine, and folate may be significant in hepatic or other tissue carcinogenesis.

One or more hepatic microsomal oxidases were depressed in rats fed any of the high-fat diets but were not correlated with tumor incidence.

¹ Supported in part by USPHS Contract NO1 CP 33238 from the National Cancer Institute.

Received 3/31/76. Accepted 10/12/76.