Moderate Beer Consumption Modifies Tumoral Growth Parameters and Pyrrolidone Carboxypeptidase Type-I and Type-II Specific Activities in the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Mammary Gland Axis in an Animal Model of Breast Cancer.

AIMS

To determine the effect of moderate alcoholic and nonalcoholic beer consumption on tumoral growth parameters, the histopathology, pyrrolidone carboxypeptidase type I (Pcp I), and type II (Pcp II) specific activities in the hypothalamus-pituitary-mammary gland axis, and the circulating levels of estradiol (E) and progesterone (P) in rats with -methyl--nitrosourea (NMU) induced mammary tumors.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Food and drink intake, weight gain and tumor growth parameters were collected. The malignant phenotype of the tumor was performed using the Scarff-Bloom-Richardson grading method. Pcp specific activities were fluorometrically analyzed using pyroglutamyl-β-naphthylamide as substrate. Circulating steroid hormones were determined.

RESULTS

Differences were found in tumoral parameters, depending on the drink. Animals that were given alcohol-containing beer (A/C) beer to drink showed the lowest values of hypothalamic Pcp I, in association with the lowest levels of circulating E. The significant decrease in Pcp I activity in all NMU-treated groups suggest a clear role of the Pcp I in the tumoral process, and A/C beer interferes with it.

DISCUSSION

Moderate consumption of alcoholic beer would have beneficial effects against mammary tumors through the modification of the endocrine status mediated by GnRH due to changes on Pcp I and II activities at different levels.