Zinc Deficiency, Alcohol, and a Retinoid: Association With Esophageal Cancer in Rats2, 3

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Groups of Charles River Sprague-Dawley male rats were given intragastric intubations of methylbenzylnitrosamine after receiving one of the following diets for 4 weeks: control, zinc-deficient, or zinc-deficient diet plus 4% ethanol in the drinking water. One zincdeficient group was zinc repleted after the dosing period; the other group, zinc-deficient plus 4% ethanol, received 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA) after the dosing period. Zinc deficiency significantly enhanced esophageal tumor incidence; the addition of ethanol further enhanced tumor incidence. Zinc repletion reduced tumor incidence, whereas the addition of 13-cis-RA enhanced tumor incidence.