Fish oil/pectin temporally alters gene expression profiles in exfoliated rat colonocytes throughout oncogenesis

We have demonstrated that fish oil/pectin (FO/P) diets protect against colon cancer compared to corn oil/cellulose (CO/C) by upregulating apoptosis and suppressing proliferation. To elucidate the mechanisms whereby FO/P diets induce apoptosis and suppress proliferation during the tumorigenic process, we analyzed the temporal gene expression profiles from exfoliated rat colonocytes. KEYWORDS: Fish oil/pectin, pectin, exfoliated colonocytes, gene expression, apoptosis, colon cancer, chemoprevention Rats consumed diets containing FO/P or CO/C and were injected with azoxymethane (AOM, 2x, 15 mg/kg BW, s.c.). Feces collected at the initiation, aberrant crypt foci (ACF), and tumor stages of colon cancer (24 h (n=20), 7 wk (n=37), and 28 wk (n=28) after AOM injection, respectively) was used for poly A(+) RNA extraction. Gene expression signatures were determined using Codelink arrays.