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Moderate Drinking Fuels Cancer Tumors in New Study
Senior Alert: Only
2-4 drinks a day causes robust tumors in mice
April 4, 2006 Senior citizens are of the
generation that has accepted a drink of two at the end of the day as a
welcome ritual of relaxation. A new study, however, shows that even
moderate drinking two to four a day stimulates cancer tumors. The
study was done with mice but University of Mississippi researchers who
say it is the first-ever mammalian model of how alcohol consumption
spurs larger, more robust tumors.
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This research provides the first mammalian model of
the links between alcohol, VEGF, and tumor growth, said Wei Tan, the
study's lead author. The study increases understanding of how alcohol
over-stimulates production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
-- a substance that the body needs, but which can be harmful when there
is too much of it.
The new mouse model could lead to a way to block
VEGF over-production, a step that could reduce the incidence of cancer
and has important implications for cancer education and prevention. Wei
Tan, Megan Shparago, Amelia P. Bailey and Jian-Wei Gu of the University
of Mississippi Medical Center will present "Moderate alcohol intake
stimulates tumor angiogenesis and expression of vascular endothelial
growth factor (VEGF) in a mouse model," at the Experimental Biology
Conference 2006, April 1-5 in San Francisco.
Researchers develop mouse model
Unlike studies which use alcohol that would be the
equivalent of high consumption in humans, the researchers gave mice a
more moderate dose -- the equivalent to 2-4 glasses of alcohol per day.
Six male mice received 1% alcohol in their drinking
water for eight hours each night during the four-week experiment, Tan
said. The six mice in the control group received plain water. In the
second week, the researchers injected the mice, both experimental and
controls, with mouse melanoma. They ended the experiment after four
weeks.
According to Tan, the tumors of the mice that
ingested alcohol:
● were nearly twice as heavy compared to the mice
that did not have alcohol
● showed a dramatic increase in new micro-vessels, that is, blood
vessels that cannot be seen with the naked eye, such as capillaries
● were nearly twice as dense with blood vessels
● showed a significant increase in VEGF
Alcohol long identified as cancer risk "It's very
important to have a model of how to prevent cancer," and this study
provides that model, Gu said. "Epidemiologists have recognized alcohol
as a risk factor for cancer for 100 years," but this study examines how
that happens.
The mouse study builds on an earlier study with
chicks that showed alcohol consumption increased the expression of a
protein known as VEGF. VEGF fuels tumor growth by spurring the
development of blood vessels in cancer cells that might otherwise die.
Normally, the immune system can kill off small
tumors. However, when they grow large enough the body can no longer
fight off the tumor cells. This is why angiogenesis is so important, Gu
said.
VEGF, a protein that stimulates formation of blood
vessels, helps organ tissues grow. Unfortunately, it also aids tumors
grow by helping them develop a system of blood vessels. Without these
blood vessels, cancer cells that form small tumors would quickly die.
The vast majority of tumors result from over
expressed VEGF, Gu explained. "Every day, we produce a lot of cancer
cells, but they don't become bigger," he said. But if the cell
establishes blood vessels, the tumor grows and strengthens, a process
known as angiogenesis.
Cells dislike alcohol
When alcohol is consumed, it enters the cells,
which attempt to eliminate it. Because it is difficult to break it down,
the cells must increase metabolic activity to do that, Tan explained.
But that requires oxygen, and the cells may deplete themselves of oxygen
in an attempt to break down the alcohol.
This oxygen-depletion, known as hypoxia, indirectly
induces production of VEGF. VEGF, in turn, stimulates the growth of new
blood vessels to meet the increased oxygen demand. It is still too early
to define safe levels of alcohol consumption in humans, Tan said, but
she advises caution when drinking, particularly for individuals who
drink every day.
"If you have risk for any kind of cancer, don't
drink at all," Gu advised. For those not at risk, the occasional social
drink is fine, but "I don't think 2-4 drinks per day is okay," Gu
ventured. The public needs to know of these results as a tool of cancer
prevention. Gu was once approached by a man on chemotherapy who asked
him if it was okay to drink. The answer was a firm "no."
More About this Study:
The study earned Tan a Caroline tum Suden/Frances
A. Hellebrandt Professional Opportunity Award from the American
Physiological Society (APS) for exemplary research. The presentation was
part of the scientific program sponsored by APS.
Funding: National Institutes of Health.
Go to
http://www.faseb.org/meetings/eb2006/call/ and click on "Searchable
Program Planner and Itinerary Builder to find the searchable online
program for EB.
The American Physiological Society was founded in
1887 to foster basic and applied bioscience. The Bethesda,
Maryland-based society has more than 10,000 members and publishes 14
peer-reviewed journals containing 4,000 articles annually.
APS provides a wide range of research, education
and career support and programming to further the contributions of
physiology to understanding the mechanisms of diseased and healthy
states. In May 2004, APS received the Presidential Award for Excellence
in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.
Experimental Biology is an annual scientific
meeting convened by the Federation of American Societies of Experimental
Biology, including the American Physiological Society (APS) and other
biomedical societies. The meeting features "nominated" lectures,
symposia, research presentations, awards, a job placement center, and an
exhibit of scientific equipment, supplies, and publications. This year's
participating Societies are APS, American Association of Anatomists,
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American
Society for Investigative Pathology, American Society for Nutritional
Sciences, and the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental
Therapeutics.
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