Influence of diets varying in lipid and protein content on the histopathologic variety of murine salivary gland tumors induced by 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene (DMBA).

The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of diets varying in lipids and proteins on the histopathologic variety of murine salivary tumors induced by DMBA. 117 BALB/c mice were assigned to experiments one (E1: lipids, males) and two (E2: proteins, males and females), E1 comprising Soy oil (SO); Corn oil (CO, control); Fish oil (FO) and Olein (O) groups and E2, soy protein (SP) and casein (C) groups. Tumors were induced by DMBA and the animals were sacrificed at week 13- post-induction. Tumor volume was calculated. Tumor sections were stained with H-E for histopathologic evaluation. No significant association was found between tumor volume and dietary condition (p > 0.05). In E1, FO animals developed mainly carcinomas (C) (58.8%), the sarcomas (S) and carcinosarcomas (CS) being especially of high-grade type (tumors < 600 mm3). In E2, SP animals developed mainly C (55.6%). Although no significantly different (p > 0.05), S and C were more frequent in female and male mice, respectively. In both E1 and E2, the biggest tumors (> 600 mm3) were mainly high-grade S (87.5%-80%). Dietary fat and soy protein appear to influence the tumor histopathology and thus its prognosis.