Effects of feeding dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on the hepatic metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) in rats

The possibility that the anticarcinogenic action of the naturally occurring steroid DHEA could arise from its interference in the metabolic activation of DMBA was investigated. Young mature male Sprague Dawley rats were fed for 14 days with a diet containing a nontoxic dose of DHEA in the diet. Control rats were pairfed and received the same diet except DHEA. The animals were given interperitoneally 120 μCi of [3H]DMBA in DMSO. After 48 hours the rats were sacrificed. Liver weights at sacrifice were 11.7 +/- 0.9 g and 7.1 g +/- 0.6 g for DHEA fed and control animals respectively. Protein content of whole liver and hepatic microsomal protein was significantly higher in DHEA fed animals. Binding of DMBA to hepatic DNA was 6688 +/- 1308 and 4070 +/- 890 dpm/mg DNA for control and DHEA fed animals respectively. Furthermore the excretion of DMBA derived radioactivity in urine was 2.3 fold more in DHEA fed animals. These results suggest that DHEA could protect rats from the carcinogenic manifestations of DMBA by interfering at the biotransformation step of the carcinogen