Influence of dietary calcium and vitamin D on colon epithelial cell proliferation and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats fed high fat diets

We investigated whether increased levels of dietary calcium and vitamin D could inhibit colon carcinogenesis in rats injected with a single dose of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine. Rats were given a single subcutaneous injection (200 mg/kg body wt) 2 wk before they were fed purified diets containing 20% fat for 32 wk. Diets contained one of three levels of calcium (5, 10 or 15 g/kg diet) as calcium gluconate and one of three levels of vitamin D (0.025, 0.05 or 0.1 mg/kg diet) as cholecalciferol in a 3 x 3 factorial design. Rats receiving the highest level of vitamin D had greater plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D. Autoradiographic examination of [³H]thymidine-treated rats demonstrated that a higher dietary level of calcium as well as higher levels of vitamin D significantly affected cellular kinetic indices. The total tumor incidence and tumor incidence in the distal colon was 45% lower in rats fed the highest level of both calcium and vitamin D compared with the other eight groups, although this decrease was not statistically significant (P = 0.12). The possible importance of these observations is discussed.