Post-initiation inhibition of MeIQx hepatocarcinogenesis in rats by cysteine

Rats were administered cysteine at a dose of 100 mg/kg b.w. 5 times per week after 2-amino-3, 8-dimethylimidazo [4,5-f] quinoxaline (MeIQx) treatment. Significant decrease in numbers and areas of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive foci, putative preneoplastic lesions, and silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions were evident in the livers of rats treated with cysteine after MeIQx treatment. Morever, post-initiation stage cysteine treatment resulted in decreased hepatic insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I mRNA expression. Thus post-initiation cysteine treatment may exert chemopreventive effect on MeIQx hepatocarcinogenesis.