William J. Karolski

Distal bowel selectivity in the chemoprevention of experimental colon carcinogenesis by the non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug nabumetone

Use of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for chemoprevention of colon cancer has been hindered by their potential gastro‐intestinal toxicity. Nabumetone, which is approximately 10 to 36 times safer than conventional NSAIDs, was evaluated in 2 models of experimental colon carcinogenesis. In azoxymethane (AOM)‐treated Fisher 344 rats, nabumetone caused dose‐dependent inhibition of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), with 750 and 1,500 ppm resulting in 15% and 37% reductions, respectively (p < 0.05). Moreover, complex ACF were reduced by 48% in the latter group. MIN mice studies confirmed the chemopreventive efficacy of nabumetone, with 900 ppm suppressing approximately half of the intestinal tumors. Interestingly, inhibition of intermediate biomarkers in both models was markedly greater in the distal than the proximal bowel. To mechanistically evaluate this regional selectivity, we assessed cyclo‐oxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) expression in the uninvolved mucosa and demonstrated a 3‐ to 4‐fold excess in the distal relative to the proximal bowel in both MIN mice and AOM‐treated rats. We then investigated another putative NSAID target, peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor‐δ (PPAR‐δ) and demonstrated up‐regulation during AOM‐induced colonic tumorigenesis. Furthermore, in pre‐neoplastic mucosa, there was a 3‐fold excess of PPAR‐δ in the distal colon. We demonstrate that nabumetone is an effective protective agent in both experimental models of colon carcinogenesis. The striking distal predilection of nabumetone may be, at least partially, explained by distal bowel over‐expression of COX‐2 and PPAR‐δ.

Polyethylene glycol induces apoptosis in HT-29 cells: potential mechanism for chemoprevention of colon cancer

Recent experimental evidence suggests that polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a highly effective chemopreventive agent against colon cancer; however, the mechanism(s) remain largely unexplored. To further elucidate this issue, we evaluated the effect of PEG on two human colon cancer cell lines. PEG treatment resulted in a dose‐ and time‐dependent reduction in cell number without alteration in markers of cell proliferation. However, there was a dramatic and specific, concentration‐dependent induction of apoptosis, with 50 mM PEG rendering approximately half the cells apoptotic. This corresponded with a 17‐fold induction in the expression of the pro‐apoptotic protein, prostate apoptosis response‐4. Our data suggest that induction of apoptosis may be responsible, at least in part, for the ability of PEG to prevent experimental colon cancer.