Enhancement by neurotensin of experimental carcinogenesis induced in rat colon by azoxymethane.

The effects of neurotensin on the incidence, number, size, and histology of colon tumours induced by azoxymethane (AOM) were investigated in Wistar rats. Rats were given 10 weekly injections of AOM (7.4 mg kg-1 body weight) and were also given 200 micrograms kg-1 of neurotensin in depot form every other day until the end of the experiment. In week 40, prolonged alternate-day administration of neurotensin resulted in significant increases in the number and size of colon tumours and the incidence of adenocarcinomas penetrating muscle layer and deeper. However, neurotensin did not influence the incidence of tumour-bearing rats and the histological appearance of colon tumours. Administration of neurotensin caused a significant increase in the labelling index of the colon cancers but not that of colon mucosa. These findings indicate that neurotensin enhanced the growth of colon tumours, possibly related to its effect in increasing proliferation of colon cancer cells.