Abstract
In a Wistar rat model, prolonged supplementation of mustard seed (MS) to the diet significantly ameliorates the induction of colorectal carcinomas by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). The expression of the splenocyte major histocompatibility complex class I (MHCI) was found significantly enhanced, whereas that of the major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) was significantly decreased. Compared to that of control animals, the proportion of spleenic B- and dendritic cells (DC) was amplified in the MS group. The expressions of MHCI, as well as that of MHCII, were increased in DC cells; whereas in B cells, MHCI expression was augmented but that of MHCII moderately decreased. The percentages of CD8+CD28+ and CD4+CD28+ cells were increased in the MS group, while the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ subset was depressed. Plasma analysis showed that DMH-exposure induced amplified amounts of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-beta, whereas MS feeding counteracted this effect but enhanced IL-2, IL12p70, IL21, TNF-alpha, and interferon-gamma. In the SW480 colon adenocarcinoma cell-line, the cytotoxicity of spleenic T-cells from MS-fed animals was significantly increased. In the DMH-exposed rats, the expression of perforin in the spleenic T-cells was dramatically decreased, whereas MS abolished this depression. In summary, dietary MS suppresses DMH-induced immuno-imbalance as well as colon carcinogenesis in rats.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81071549), the Guangdong Natural Science Foundation (9151040701000025), the Guangdong Science and Technology Foundation (2010B060900054), the Foundation for Introduction of Innovative R & D Team in Guangdong Province, the Nanfang Hospital Foundation (2009B011), the Guangdong Talent Person Import Foundation, the Southern Medical University Talent Person Import Foundation, and the China Chunhui Plan.
Minggu Zhu and Haifeng Yuan contributed equally to this work.