Effects of Medium-chain Triglycerides Administration in Chemically-induced Carcinogenesis in Mice.

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) on chemically-induced hepatic carcinogenesis (HCC) in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a first set of experiments, mice were treated with diethylnitrosoamine intraperitoneally at two weeks of age. They were fed chow containing MCT or a normal chow diet and sacrificed after 28 weeks. Incidence of hepatic tumor was compared between the two groups. Expression of oxidative stress, and inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in liver tissues were examined. In a second set of experiments, the histopathological findings of the intraperitoneal adipose tissue were assessed, and expression of adipocytokines in the fat tissue was measured. In a third set of experiments, plasma β-hydroxybutyrate (HB) concentration was measured in both animals fed chow containing MCT and a normal chow diet. Mouse HCC cells were co-cultured with β-HB, and the numbers of tumor cells were counted at days 3 and 7.

RESULTS

In the first set of experiments, the tumor count observed in the control group was significantly blunted in the MCT group. Maximum tumor diameter also decreased in the MCT group compared to the control group. The expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines was significantly decreased by MCT. Furthermore, expression of 4-hydroxynonenal was lower in the MCT group compared to the control group. In the second set of experiments, hypertrophy of the adipocytes was suppressed, and the concentration of adiponectin and leptin in the adipose tissue decreased by MCT. In the third set of experiments, plasma β-HB concentration increased in the MCT group as expected. β-HB significantly inhibited the proliferation of HCC cells.

CONCLUSION

MCT administration markedly suppresses the incidence of chemically-induced HCC by inhibition of inflammation and increase of ketone bodies.