Effect of Subchronic Aflatoxin Exposure on Growth and Progression of Ehrlich's Ascites Tumor in Mice

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Abstract
The present. investigation wad undertaken to assess whether aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) has any modulatory effect on the growth and progression of Ehrlich's ascites tumor (EAT) in mice on not. Male Swiss albino mice were treated with 0, 70, 350 and 700 μg AFB1,/kg body weight in 0.2 ml corn oil on alternate, days, anally, for two weeks. Treated animals, were. challenged with 1×106 cells of EhrLich' of ascited tumor. Animals were monitored for the appearance of palpable tumor, body weight gain as a measure of tumor burden, mortality profile and tumor cell population. Some parameters of cell mediated immunity (CMI), humoral immunity and non-specidic immunity were also studied in afleatoxin treated animals in order to find out the mechanism of action of AF8, on host immunity. It was observed that AFB, treatment resulted in an early appearance. of tumor, enhanced mortality, appreciable increaese in body weight gain and EAT cell population following tumor challenge, in Comparison with the control animals. Aflatoxin treatment caused suppression of CM1 including an impairment of macrophage function, while humoral immunity was not much addected. It may be concluded that impaired CMI and macrophage function might be contributing to the increased growth of EAT in the AFB1 threated animales. Our findings may be relevant in that when a host is exposed to aflatoxins concomitantly with other carcinogens and cancer causing situations.