Dietary restriction, cell proliferation and carcinogenesis: a preliminary study.

Four groups of female Swiss Webster mice were given either laboratory chow or a purified (semi-synthetic) diet (AIN-76A) either ad libitum or at 75% of the ad libitum rate for about 30 days. Three tissues, the crypt cells of the jejunum, the dermis and the basal epithelial cells of the esophagus were investigated using [3H]thymidine labelling and by counting mitoses; four other tissues, the alveolar cells of the mammary gland, the crypt cells of the duodenum and colo-rectum, and the transitional cells of the urinary bladder were examined using [3H]thymidine labelling only. In each case dietary restriction led to a reduction of cellular proliferation assessed by these indices. The potential of the approach for the study of the effects of dietary modification on the induction of cancer is discussed.