Effect of spray-dried yogurt and lactic acid bacteria on the initiation and promotion stages of chemically induced skin carcinogenesis in mice

The effects of dietary spray-dried yogurt powder product (YPP) and two strains of lactic acid bacteria on the initiation and promotion stages of carcinogenesis were investigated using the 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)- 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) mouse skin carcinogenesis model. In two independent studies, Sencar mice were fed a diet containing 86%, 43%, or 0% YPP or the 0% YPP diet supplemented with viable cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilus or bifidobacteria. Animals were initiated with a single topical application of DMBA (10 nmol). Promotion began three weeks later with twice weekly treatment of TPA (1 mu g/200 mu l acetone). During the initiation study (Study 1) the experimental diets were fed for four weeks before and one week after DMBA treatment. All mice were then switched to the AIN-76 diet. For the promotion study (Study 2) the experimental diets were begun one week after initiation and fed during the remainder of the study. Gross appearance of tumors was assessed weekly. No statistically significant differences in body weight or food disappearance were observed among the diet groups during the studies. For Studies 1 and 2, final histologically verified papilloma incidence and multiplicity and carcinoma incidence were not statistically different. These data suggest that different levels of YPP or lactic acid bacteria fed during the initiation or promotion stage of carcinogenesis do not significantly affect chemically induced skin tumor development.