Abstract
Gum Arabic (GA), a nutrient from dried exudate of Acacia senegal, is widely used as emulsifier and stabilizer. It stimulates sodium and water absorption in diarrhea. This study explored the effects of GA in colonic tissue. Mice were treated with GA (10% wt/vol) in drinking water and gene array was performed. As GA modified several tumor-relevant genes, chemical cancerogenesis (intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg 1,2-dimethylhydrazine followed by 3 cycles of 3% dextrane sodium sulphate in drinking water) was induced with or without GA treatment. Within 4 days, GA treatment decreased the colonic transcript levels of the angiogenetic factors angiogenin 1, angiogenin 3, and angiogenin 4 by 78 ± 18%, 88 ± 15%, and 92 ± 13%, respectively (n = 5 each), and of further genes including CD38 antigen, aquaporin4, interleukin18, vav-3-oncogene, γ
+
-amino acid transporter, sulfatase1, ubiquitinD, and chemokine ligand5. According to Western blotting, GA treatment similarly decreased angiogenin protein expression, and according to immunohistochemistry, it decreased ß-catenin expression. Chemical cancerogenesis resulted in multiple colonic tumors within 12 wk. GA treatment (10% wt/wt) in drinking water significantly decreased the number of tumors by 70%. The observations disclose a powerful anticarcinogenic effect of GA. The nutrient could thus be used for the prophylaxis against colon carcinoma particularly in individuals at enhanced risk.