Effect of intestinal microflora on 2,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl-induced carcinogenesis in F344 rats

The effect of intestinal microflora on colon and breast carcinogenesis induced by 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl (DMAB) was studied with the use of germfree and conventional F344 rats of both sexes. At 7 weeks of age, all animals except controls were given 20 weekly sc injections of DMAB in corn oil (100 mg/kg body wt/wk). Male animals were autopsied 15 weeks after the last injection, whereas female animals were autopsied 10 weeks after the last injection. Tumors were induced in the colons, duodena, breasts, ear ducts, salivary glands, and skin of conventional rats, and in the colons, breasts, ear ducts, salivary glands, and skin of germfree rats. No consistent difference was found in the incidence of tumors in the ear ducts, salivary glands, and skin between the germfree and conventional rats. None of the germfree rats showed duodenal tumors, whereas 13% of the female and 53% of the male conventional rats developed duodenal tumors. The incidence of intestinal tumors was lower in the germfree rats than in conventional animals. The mammary tumor incidence was lower in germfree female rats than in the conventional female rats than in the conventional females. DMAB induced fewer intestinal and breast tumors in germfree rats than in conventional rats.