1α,25‐Dihydroxyvitamin D 3 inhibits rat liver ultrastructural changes and the development of γ‐glutamyltranspeptidase‐positive foci in diethylnitrosamine‐initiated and streptozotocin‐induced diabetes‐promoted hepatocarcinogenesis

• Published in: Cell biochemistry and function 2002-09, Vol.20 (3), p.195-204
• Main Authors: Saha, Barun Kanti, Bhattacharya, Radha, Chatterjee, Malay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0263-6484; 1099-0844
• DOI: 10.1002/cbf.946

In the present study, the chemopreventive effect of the active metabolite of vitamin D, 1α,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (VD 3 ), against chemically‐induced and diabetes‐promoted rat liver carcinogenesis was investigated. Hepatocarcinogenesis was initiated with a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) (125 mg kg −1 body weight) at week 4 followed by promotion with streptozotocin (STZ) (65 mg kg −1 body weight with a single i.p. injection) at week 7. With this basic experimental regimen, the effect of VD 3 (0.3 μg (0.1 ml) −1 propylene glycol per os twice a week) was investigated with effect from 4 weeks prior to the exposure of DEN. The results showed that VD 3 supplementation throughout the experimental period reduced the incidence, total number and multiplicity and altered the size of visible persistent nodules (PNs) in DEN‐ or DEN + STZ‐treated rats as compared with their respective controls. In these two groups, it also caused a significant decrease in the number ( p