Host factors influence Barrett’s carcinogenesis: findings from a mouse gastroduodenal reflux model

BACKGROUND: Rat gastroduodenal reflux models have been used for analyzing Barrett’s carcinogenesis. Mice seem to be more useful than rats for studies targeting genes. METHODS: We induced gastroduodenal contents reflux by esophagojejunostomy using C57BL/6J mice. Mice were divided into a standard diet and high-fat diet groups and kept for 60 weeks. Bile was sampled from the gallbladder to analyze bile acid fractions, and the esophagus was removed for a histological investigation. Human esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma cells (OE19) were exposed to taurocholic acid (TCA), after which cell proliferative activity was measured. Rat esophageal cancer cell lines, ESCC-DR and ESCC-DRtca with higher malignant potential induced by continuous TCA exposure, were used to perform comprehensive genetic analysis (CGH). RESULTS: Barrett’s epithelium onset occurred in all mice, and no differences in histological changes were noted between the standard diet and high-fat diet groups. However, no development of adenocarcinoma was noted. Most of the mouse bile acid was taurine conjugates. In the experiment using OE-19 cells, TCA promotes cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Array CGH analysis revealed a large number of chromosomal abnormalities in the ESCC-DR, in addition to genetic abnormalities such as in the UGT2B gene, the substrate of which is bile acid. TCA administration resulted in more chromosomal abnormalities being detected. CONCLUSIONS: We showed the effects of TCA in cancer progression in vitro. However, Barrett’s adenocarcinoma onset rates differ between mice and rats despite undergoing similar reflux stimulation including taurine-conjugated bile acids being detected in mouse bile juice. These results suggest that host factors seem to influence Barrett’s carcinogenesis.