Interactions of selenium deficiency, vitamin E, polyunsaturated fat, and saturated fat on azoxymethane-induced colon carcinogenesis in male F344 rats.

The effect of the interaction of selenium deficiency, excess vitamin E, and type of fat on colon carcinogenesis induced by azoxymethane (AOM) was studied in male F344 rats. The experimental diets, based on a Torula yeast diet and containing 20% stripped corn oil or 20% stripped lard, were as follows: 1) selenium deficient with adequate (50 mg/kg diet) vitamin E, 2) selenium deficient with excess (750 mg/kg diet) vitamin E, 3) selenium adequate with adequate vitamin E, and 4) selenium adequate with excess vitamin E. Starting at about 3 weeks of age, animals were fed the experimental diets, and at 7 weeks of age all animals except the vehicle-treated controls were given sc injections of AOM (15 mg/kg body wt) once weekly for 2 weeks. Animals were fed the experimental diets until termination of the experiment. Selenium deficiency significantly inhibited the incidence (percentage of animals with tumors) and multiplicity (tumors per animal) of colon adenocarcinomas and adenomas, whereas excess vitamin E had no effect on colon carcinogenesis. There was no interaction between the selenium status and vitamin E; the selenium status and type of fat; vitamin E and type of fat; and among selenium status, vitamin E, and type of fat.