Delayed tumor onset in transgenic mice fed an amino acid-based diet supplemented with red wine solids

Andrew J. Clifford, Susan E. Ebeler, John D. Ebeler, Nathan D. Bills, Steven H. Hinrichs, Pierre L. Teissedre, Andrew L. Waterhouse

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

132 Scopus citations

Abstract

Increased consumption of vegetable foods (cereals, legumes, fruits) and some beverages (tea, cider, wine) is associated with reduced risk of cancer. Polyphenols in these foods and beverages are thought to be responsible, based on data from in vitro assays and from in vivo studies that used animals pretreated with carcinogen and given tea or polyphenol-spiked water to drink. We tested the hypothesis that dehydrated-dealcoholized red wine (wine solids), when consumed as part of a precisely defined complete diet, would delay tumor onset in transgenic mice that spontaneously develop externally visible tumors without carcinogen pretreatment. Sibling transgenic mice were weaned onto an amino acid-based diet alone or supplemented with red wine solids. Mice were examined daily; the age at which a first tumor appeared was recorded as the age of tumor onset. The concentration of the major polyphenol of red wine (catechin) in blood serum was also measured at the end of the study. The supplemented diet was fed continuously for three generations to ensure that it supported normal growth and reproduction. We discovered that the wine solid supplement delayed tumor onset, that intact catechin was absorbed, and that the supplemented diet supported normal growth and reproduction for three generations. Also, our simple experimental protocol offers an alternate and/or complementary way to identify foods, beverages, and their constituents that delay tumor onset and to investigate possible mechanisms involved.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)748-756
Number of pages9
JournalAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume64
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1996
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Amino acid-based diet
  • cancer
  • catechin
  • transgenic mice
  • wine solids

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

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