Academic literature on the topic 'Tumors in animals – Nutritional aspects'

Abstract Substantial advances have been made in understanding both evolutionary and mechanistic aspects of biological ageing, but the two areas remain poorly integrated. I suggest that a greater emphasis on ecology can help to integrate evolutionary and mechanistic research on ageing, by providing insight into the interface between biological mechanisms and the environments in which they evolved. Among the most salient aspects of the environment relevant to ageing is nutrition. And yet in the bulk of ageing research nutrition is coarsely represented as dietary restriction or caloric restriction, without consideration for which components of the diet or which energetic substrates are driving the observed effects. I show how a method developed in nutritional ecology, called the nutritional geometry framework, can help to understand the nutritional interactions of animals with their environments, by explicitly distinguishing the roles of calories, individual nutrients and nutrient balance. Part of a symposium sponsored by the Nutrition Interest Group.

BACKGROUND: Along with its increased prevalence, in the past decade, cancer had joined the list of chronic debilitating diseases. Nutrition become substantial aspects, due to its time-dependent effect to modulate inflammation thus trigger carcinogenic effects by altering the immune check point. Thus, nutrition contributes to the progression and therapeutic response of cancer, both in human or animal models.CONTENT: Meat is well favored food with appreciable appealing. Due to its high nutritional values it plays a central role in human development. Meat or meat derivate are important sources of proteins, minerals and vitamins. Their nutritional importance is worth compare to their economic impact but recent publication of WHO has set the social alarm about the relationship between red and/or processed meat consumption and cancer. On the other side, some natural or biologic agents may inhibit or reverse tumor growth. Some phytochemical agents including curcumin, resveratrol, lycopene, folates and tea polyphenols clinically proved to tune the signaling pathways regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis in transformed cells, enhance the host immune system and sensitize malignant cells to cytotoxic agents.SUMMARY: Recent studies on chemopreventive agents involves a wide range of molecules, natural (plants, fruits and vegetables) or synthetic will provide better insights for cancer early pathogenesis, important end-point biomarker, and finally potential for reducing the burden of cancer.KEYWORDS: blocking agents, suppressing agents, red meat, processed meat, chemoprevention, phytochemicals

This paper reviews the scientific knowledge about protein-energy and micronutrient malnutrition in the context of Chagas disease, especially in experimental models. The search of articles was conducted using the electronic databases of SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), PubMed and MEDLINE published between 1960 and March 2010. It was possible to verify that nutritional deficiencies (protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient malnutrition) exert a direct effect on the infection byT. cruzi. However, little is known about the immunological mechanisms involved in the relationship “nutritional deficiencies and infection byT. cruzi”. A hundred years after the discovery of Chagas disease many aspects of this illness still require clarification, including the effects of nutritional deficiencies on immune and pathological mechanisms ofT. cruziinfection.

The signalment, clinical findings, laboratory values, and histopathological results of 96 ferrets with signs (i.e., bilaterally symmetrical alopecia, return to male sexual behavior, or an enlarged vulva) suggestive of hyperadrenocorticism were evaluated retrospectively. Of these 96 ferrets, 94 (98%) were diagnosed with hyperadrenocorticism histologically. Treatment consisted of unilateral adrenalectomy for unilateral tumors (84%) and subtotal bilateral adrenalectomy for bilateral adrenal tumors (16%). The histopathological diagnosis included nodular hyperplasia (56%), adrenocortical carcinoma (26%), and adrenocortical adenoma (16%). Common concurrent diseases included splenomegaly (87%), islet-cell tumor (27%), and cardiomyopathy (10%).

Knowledge of information relative to the digestibility, intake and botanical and morphological composition of the diet is important in nutritional studies, since it provides the basis for understanding aspects related to the ingestive behavior and selectivity of animals. N-alkanes have been used successfully as markers in studies with many species of animals, particularly domesticated ruminants, most of the times as replacements for conventional markers as chromium oxide for example. However, for wild ruminants and non-ruminant animals information on this technique is still scarce and, as a consequence, its potential for use unknown. This review reports the use of this technique in studies of feed digestibility, intake and diet composition with wild ruminants and non-ruminant animals, summarizing results and inferring on the feasibility and applicability of the technique.

Background. Modern standards for the treatment of both solid tumors and tumors of the blood system provide a mandatory assessment of the objective status of the patient. One of the important criteria of which is nutritional status. Underestimating the role of nutritional support in the treatment of cancer patients leads to a deterioration of treatment results due to the progressive deterioration of nutritional status and the development of cancer anorexia cachexia syndrome (CACS), which is an independent adverse factor leading to the death of the patient. The increase in the number of cancer patients with risk factors for CACS development requires not only close attention of clinicians to this problem, but also the development of clear recommendations for the diagnosis and management of such patients. This can contribute to solving several problems at once. First, it will allow optimizing monitoring of cancer patients predisposed to CACS development during anticancer treatment. Secondly, it will provide an opportunity to develop a diagnostic algorithm to prevent it. Third, the use of the identified criteria for predicting and outcome of complications both on an outpatient basis and in a hospital will be aimed at creating favorable conditions for anticancer therapy and thereby improving long-term treatment results and patients quality of life. Studying the mechanisms of development of CACS, the possibilities of correcting this condition, indicate the need for a multimodal concept and the rejection of the search for a “magic pill”. The results of a multicenter, prospective randomized study conducted in the oncology and hematology departments of healthcare institutions.Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of FortiCare oral nutritional support in cancer patients under the real clinical practice.Materials and methods. The study included 96 patients with stage II–IV tumors. Radiation therapy was received by 28 patients, chemotherapy ‒ by 68 patients. Patient information was collected using an individual registration card. The patients were randomized according to nutritional support tactics (1:1). In the study group, with radiation (n = 14) and chemotherapy (n = 34), patients received enteral nutrition Forticare orally 125 ml 3 times a day in parallel with their usual diet. Patients in the control group during radiation therapy (n = 14) received the required amount of calories from their usual diet. During chemotherapy, patients in the control group (n = 34) with a lack of daily calorie intake received additional parenteral nutrition.Results and conclusion. While taking FortiCare, there was a smaller loss of body weight (p ≤0.05), a frequency of mucositis of the oral cavity, and esophagitis (p >0.05). With chemotherapy, the incidence of diarrhea (p <0.001) and constipation (p <0.05) was detected less frequently than in the control group. A decrease in the frequency of hematological toxicity (leukopenia, thrombocytopenia) was noted (p >0.05).

The specific objective of this study was to determine if Fgf-3 gene expression is mediated by dietary fatty acids and to confirm mouse mammary tumor virus infection. It is well known that dietary linoleic acid enhances growth and dietary stearic acid inhibits growth of mammary tumors. Tumor RNA was extracted from female strain A/St mice fed one of four diets. A radioactively labeled anti-sense RNA probe was generated, invitro, from isolated and purified pFgf-3c (int-2c clone contained in the vector pSP65). The Fgf-3c probe was hybridized to extracted tumor RNA using the ribonuclease protection assay.Electron microscopy confirmed MMTV infection by visualization of type A and B particles in tumor tissue. Expression of Fgf-3c, qualified by RNase protection assay, ranged from 0.02 to 5.89 (relative band density) in all of the diet groups. A positive association between Fgf-3c expression and weight was observed among the tumors of the SA-1 diet (R = 0.947). The SF, SF-1, and PA experimental diets, individually, did not appear to show strong correlation with respect to tumor size. Fgf-3 expression was less in small tumors (<275 mg) and enhanced in large tumors (>275 mg) (p<0.05).
Department of Biology

Dietary linoleate enhances the development of mammary tumors while dietary stearate has a retarding effect. Since linoleate is a precursor of prostaglandin E2 and elevated levels of prostaglandin E2 have been shown to be associated with tumor development, levels of dietary linoleate directly influence the levels of prostaglandin E2 available for tumor development. The development of new tumor tissue also involves a high demand for fatty acids to be incorporated into cell membranes and this demand is for specific types of fatty acids to maintain the required membrane fluidity.Several enzymes play key roles in the synthesis and desaturation of the fatty acids which are converted to prostaglandins and are synthesized for membrane incorporation. Among these are fatty acid synthetase and linoloeyl coenzyme A desaturase. This study examined the activity of these two enzymes in liver tissue of mice maintained on test diets containing varying proportions of the fatty acids stearate and linoleate.Animals fed a high fat (15% of total) diet containing 13.1% stearate were found to have higher linoloeyl coenzyme A deeaturaae activity than animals fed a low fat diet or a high fat diet containing 11.3% linoleate diets. Animals fed the high fat, high stearate diet were found to have a higher fatty acid synthetase activity than animals fed either a low fat diet or the high fat, high linoleate diet.

Changes in the plasma membrane phospholipid composition may alter the structure and/or fluidity and lead to a variety of changes in membrane functions. Dietary fats are known to influence the composition of lipids in the plasma membrane. The purpose of this investigation was to compare effects of dietary linoleic and stearic acid on the composition of the phospholipids in the plasma membranes of mammary tumors in A/St mice.Plasma membranes were isolated and lipids were extracted. Phospholipids were separated by thin-layer chromatography and identified by detection with molybdenum blue reagent. The Rf values and integration of optical densities were used to compare phospholipid composition in membranes of tumors from mice fed experimental diets. It appears that the amount of dietary fat, but not the type, affects the phospholipid distributions. The phosphatidylinositol was the phospholipid most affected, representing the smallest amount in membranes from tumors in mice fed the low fat diets.
Department of Biology

Thesis (MNutr)--Stellenbosch University, 2011.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: The role of antioxidants and adequate nutrition in the prevention and course of cancer treatment is globally recognised in nullifying the effects of free radicals and increasing the nutritional status of children during treatment. Objective: To investigate whether children with cancer meet their Dietary Reference Values and Safe Intakes for antioxidants, energy and protein. Design: Single centre prospective study. Setting: Children were recruited from the East of England Primary Treatment Centre using convenience sampling over 8 months. Forty-two children and adolescents diagnosed with a Solid tumour, Lymphoma or Leukaemia were eligible for data analysis (n=20 male; n=22 female). Method: Data was collected with an Estimated Food Record (EFR) in the 1st (EFR1) and 3rd month (EFR2) post-diagnosis. In the week following EFR completion, parents and/or children were contacted to complete four non-consecutive days of 24-hr food recalls. Data was categorised into diet alone, diet + food supplement (FS), tube feeding (tube) or diet + multi-vitamin-mineral supplementation (VMS). Malnutrition was determined by weight-for-age z-scores. Nutrient intake was compared to the Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI), the Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) and the Lower Recommended Nutrient Intake (LRNI). Result: The sample consisted of 33% (n=14) diagnosed with Leukaemia, 24% (n=10) with Lymphoma and 43% (n=18) with Solid tumours. Sixty seven percent (n=28) underwent chemotherapy and 33% (n=14) a combination of therapies. Significant correlations were seen between the assessment tools in the diet alone category for both months for; vitamins A, C, E, selenium and protein and for EFR1 for zinc and energy. In both months greater numbers of children achieved ≥100% of requirements for diet + VMS (EFR 1; p<0.05; EFR2 p<0.05) than for other feeding modes. Vitamin C achieved the highest intakes compared to the RNI at 773% (EFR1) and 829% (EFR2). Intakes above 200% of the RNI were seen for vitamins A, C, E, selenium and zinc. No significant differences were seen between modes of feeding in either month for selenium or zinc. Vitamin A (EFR1≤ 100% diet alone p<0.05) and zinc (EFR1≤ 100% diet alone p=0.02) met the least of the LRNI in the 1st month compared to other antioxidants. No statistical significant difference was observed between the number of children attaining their EAR’s between the 3 modes of feeding in the 1st month and 3rd month. In the 1st month 27% (n=8) of participants consumed vitamin and/or mineral supplements, 18% in the 3rd month (n=4). In the 1st month 5% (n=2) of children were moderately malnourished and 10% (n=4) in 3rd month. Conversely in the 1st month 3% (n=1) were overweight and 3% (n=1) obese; the leukaemia group predominant. Conclusion: The research tools showed good correlation. Children using vitamin and/or mineral supplements mostly achieved their RNI’s compared to other feeding modes. Across feeding modes some children achieved antioxidant intakes above 200% RNI. LRNI’s on diet alone were not achieved for vitamin A and zinc. The study showed Leukaemics as having a higher prevalence of obesity. More research is required to determine the clinical implications of these findings.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Die rol van anti-oksidante en voldoende voeding in die voorkoming en verloop van kanker behandeling word wêreldwyd erken vir vernietiging van die effek van vry radikale en die verbetering van voedingstatus van kinders tydens behandeling. Doelwit: Om ondersoek in te stel of kinders met kanker hul Dieet Verwysingswaardes en Veilige Innames vir anti-oksidante, energie en proteïen bereik. Ontwerp: Enkel sentrum prospektiewe studie. Omgewing: Kinders was gewerf deur middel van gerieflikheidsteekproefneming oor 8 maande vanaf die “East of England Primary Treatment Centre”. Twee-en-veertig kinders en adolessente gediagnoseer met 'n Soliede tumor, Limfoom of Leukemie het in aanmerking gekom vir dataanalise (n=20 manlik, n=22 vroulik). Metode: Data was ingesamel met ‘n Geskatte Voedsel Rekord (GVR) in die eerste (GVR1) en derde maand (GVR2) na diagnose. In die week na voltooiing van die GVR is ouers en/of kinders gekontak om vier onopeenvolgende dae van 24-uur herroepe te voltooi. Data was verdeel in dieet alleen, dieet + voedsel supplement (VS), buisvoeding (buis) of dieet + multi-vitamien-mineraal supplementasie (VMS). Wanvoeding was bepaal deur middel van gewig-vir-ouderdom z-tellings. Nutriënt inname was vergelyk met die Aanbevole Nutriënt Inname (ANI), die Geskatte Gemiddelde Behoeftes (GGB) en die Laer Aanbevole Nutriënt Inname (LANI). Resultate: Die steekproef het bestaan uit 33% (n=14) gediagnoseer met Leukemie, 24% (n=10) Limfoom en 43% (n=18) Soliede tumore. Sewe-en-sestig persent (n=28) het chemoterapie ontvang en 33% (n=14) ‘n kombinasie van terapieë. Betekenisvolle korrelasies was waargeneem tussen die assesseringsinstrumente in die dieet alleen kategorie vir beide maande vir vitamiene A, C, E, selenium en proteïen en vir GVR1 ook vir sink en energie. In beide maande het ‘n groter aantal kinders ≥100% van hul behoeftes bereik vr dieet+VMS (GVR1; p<0.05; GVR2 p<0.05) as vir ander modi van voeding. Vitamien C het die hoogste innames bereik vergeleke met die ANI teen 773% (GVR1) en 829% (GVR2). Innames bo 200% van die ANI was waargeneem vir vitamiene A, C, E, selenium en sink. Geen betekenisvolle verskille was waargeneem tussen modi van voeding in enige maand vir selenium en sink nie. Vitamien A (GVR1≤100% dieet alleen p<0.05) en sink (GVR1≤100% dieet alleen p=0.02) het die minste van die LANI bereik in die eerste maand vergeleke met ander anti-oksidante. Geen statisties beduidende verskil was waargeneem tussen die aantal kinders wat hul GGB’s bereik het tussen die 3 voedingswyses in die eerste en derde maande nie. In die eerste maand het 27% (n=8) van deelnemers vitamien en/of mineraal supplemente ingeneem, en 18% (n=4) in die derde maand. In die eerste maand was 5% (n=2) van kinders matig wangevoed en 10% (n=4) in die derde maand. In die eerste maand was 3% (n=1) van kinders oorgewig en 3% (n=1) vetsugtig, die leukemie groep spesifiek. Gevolgtrekking: Die navorsingsinstrumente het goeie korrelasie getoon. Kinders wat vitamien en/of mineraal supplemente gebruik het het meestal hul ANI’s bereik vergeleke met ander modi van voeding. Oor voeding modi het sommige kinders anti-oksidant innames bo 200% ANI bereik. LANI’s op dieet alleen was nie bereik vir Vitamien A en sink nie. Hierdie studie het aangetoon dat dié met Leukemia ‘n hoër prevalensie van oorgewig/vetsug getoon het. Meer navorsing is nodig om die kliniese implikasies van die bevindinge te bepaal.

It has been suggested that plasma membranes play a role in tumor production. Changes in plasma membrane lipid composition may change membrane fluidity and disrupt cellular communication. These changes in membrane lipid composition appear to be related to the fatty acid content of the animal's diet. The purpose of this investigation was to compare the effect of dietary linoleic and stearic acids and tumor size on cholesterol/phospholipid ratios and fatty acids in membranes of mammary adenocarcinomas.Plasma membranes of mammary tumors from Strain A/St mice were isolated by centrifugation and the lipids extracted. Phospholipid content was assayed by the method of Bartlett (102); cholesterol and fatty acids by gas liquid chromatography.Plasma membranes of tumors from mice fed the high linoleic diet (SAFF) were found to have the highest cholesterol/phospholipid ratios (Mean=0.396); mice fed high stearic acid diets produced tumors with the lowest ratios (0.280). Membranes of tumors from mice fed SA-4 and Stock diets had intermediate ratios (0.0.341 and 0.0.346, respectively).
Department of Biology

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Phosphatases of regenerating liver, consisting of PRL-1, PRL-2 and PRL-3, belong to a novel protein tyrosine phosphatases subfamily, whose overexpression promotes cell proliferation, migration and invasion and contributes to tumorigenesis and metastasis. However, although great efforts have been made to uncover the biological function of PRLs, limited knowledge is available on the underlying mechanism of PRLs’ actions, therapeutic value by targeting PRLs, as well as the physiological function of PRLs in vivo. To answer these questions, we first screened a phage display library and identified p115 RhoGAP as a novel PRL-1 binding partner. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that PRL-1 activates RhoA and ERK1/2 by decreasing the association between active RhoA with GAP domain of p115 RhoGAP, and displacing MEKK1 from the SH3 domain of p115 RhoGAP, respectively, leading to enhanced cell proliferation and migration. Secondly, structure-based virtual screening was employed to discover small molecule inhibitors blocking PRL-1 trimer formation which has been suggested to play an important role for PRL-1 mediated oncogenesis. We identified Cmpd-43 as a novel PRL-1 trimer disruptor. Structural study demonstrated the binding mode of PRL-1 with the trimer disruptor. Most importantly, cellular data revealed that Cmpd-43 inhibited PRL-1 induced cell proliferation and migration in breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and lung cancer cell line H1299. Finally, in order to investigate the physiological function of PRLs, we generated mouse knockout models for Prl-1, Prl-2 and Prl-3. Although mice deficient for Prl-1 and Prl-3 were normally developed, Prl-2-null mice displayed growth retardation, impaired male reproductive ability and insufficient hematopoiesis. To further investigate the in vivo function of Prl-1, we generated Prl-1-/-/Prl-2+/- and Prl-1+/-/Prl-2-/- mice. Similar to Prl-2 deficient male mice, Prl-1-/-/Prl-2+/- males also have impaired spermatogenesis and reproductivity. More strikingly, Prl-1+/-/Prl-2-/- mice are completely infertile, suggesting that, in addition to PRL-2, PRL-1 also plays an important role in maintaining normal testis function. In summary, these studies demonstrated for the first time that PRL-1 activates ERK1/2 and RhoA through the novel interaction with p115 RhoGAP, targeting PRL-1 trimer interface is a novel anti-cancer therapeutic treatment and both PRL-1 and PRL-2 contribute to spermatogenesis and male mice reproductivity.