Chemoprotective effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on promotion in a medium‐term rat hepatocarcinogenesis assay

• Published in: International journal of cancer 2004-02, Vol.108 (4), p.488-492
• Main Authors: Carrasco‐Legleu, Claudia E., Márquez‐Rosado, Lucrecia, Fattel‐Fazenda, Samia, Arce‐Popoca, Evelia, Pérez‐Carreón, Julio I., Villa‐Treviño, Saúl
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; caffeic acid phenethyl ester; Caffeic Acids - therapeutic use; Carcinogenesis, carcinogens and anticarcinogens; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - prevention & control; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Chemical agents; chemoprevention; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Progression; gamma-Glutamyltransferase - genetics; gamma-Glutamyltransferase - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation; Glutathione S-Transferase pi; Glutathione Transferase - genetics; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; hepatocarcinogenesis; Humans; I-kappa B Proteins - pharmacology; Isoenzymes - genetics; Isoenzymes - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - pathology; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - prevention & control; Male; Medical sciences; NF-kappa B - antagonists & inhibitors; NF-kappa B - metabolism; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; Phenylethyl Alcohol - analogs & derivatives; Phenylethyl Alcohol - therapeutic use; Precancerous Conditions - chemically induced; Precancerous Conditions - metabolism; Precancerous Conditions - pathology; Precancerous Conditions - prevention & control; Protein Transport; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Tumors
• ISSN: 0020-7136; 1097-0215
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.11595

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a natural honeybee product exhibits a spectrum of biological activities including anti‐microbial, anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant and anti‐tumoral actions. CAPE is also chemopreventive against intestinal, colon and skin cancer. Our aim was to extend the study of its chemoprotective features to the promotion of hepatocarcinogenesis. Male Wistar rats were subjected to a protocol under a modified promotion regimen of the resistant hepatocyte model. The altered hepatic foci (AHF) were quantitatively analyzed by histochemistry and image processing. When given during promotion, CAPE (20 mg/kg) decreased the expression of number and area γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) positive AHF by 91% and 97%, respectively. When GGT expression was analyzed by RT‐PCR, CAPE drastically decreased and prevented expression of almost all GGT transcripts at this stage of the carcinogenic process. Glutathione S‐transferase placental form (GST‐P), another protein marker for preneoplastic lesions was measured by Western blot and a decrease of 82% was observed. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of CAPE on the expression of nuclear factor NF‐κB and found an 85% decrease in nuclear localization of the p65 subunit of NF‐κB; however, their repressor, IκBα was not modified. Our results showed that CAPE given during promotion in hepatocarcinogenesis protects against induction of GGT‐positive AHF, GST‐P protein, GGT mRNA expression and translocation of p65. This phenomenon was independent of IκBα degradation. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.