Indigestible carbohydrates which reduce colon tumour incidence in Min mice may interfere with the local immune response
Menanteau, J.; Pierre, F.; Bassonga, E.; Forest, V.; Bornet, F.; Perrin, P.; Meflah, K.
IARC Scientific Publications 156: 391-392
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5038 PMID: 12484215 Document Number: 543355
Immunocompetent and immunodeficient (depleted of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes) Min mice (a strain bearing a mutation on the Apc gene, an antioncogene gatekeeper of intestinal carcinogenesis) were fed an energy-balanced diet enriched (5.8%) with short-chain fructooligosaccharides (FOS; Actilight P) for 42 days. The mice were killed and the number of large intestine tumours were scored. The immunodeficient mice developed twice as many tumours as the immunocompetent mice (0.8 vs 0.4; P=0.02). Interleukin (IL) 4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-15 and interferon- gamma were detected in the colon of the Min mice, but only IL-15 messenger RNA expression was significantly amplified (more than 2-fold). It is suggested that some indigestible carbohydrates may generate or amplify a mechanism of immunoprophylaxis that can contribute to anticancer properties exhibited by specific fibres under certain conditions.