<b>Structural enrichment attenuates colitis-associated colon cancer</b>

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major public health concern and disproportionately impacts racial/ethnic minority populations in the U.S. Animal models are helpful in examining human health disparities because many stress-induced human health conditions can be recapitulated using mouse models. Azoxymethane (AOM)/ dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) treatment can be used to model colitis-associated cancers. While colitis-associated cancers account for only 2% of colon cancers, the AOM/DSS model is useful for examining links between inflammation, immunity, and colon cancer. Mice were housed in enriched and impoverished environments for 1-month prior to behavioral testing. Following behavioral testing, the mice were subjected to the AOM/DSS model. While our analysis revealed no significant behavioral variances between the impoverished and enriched housing conditions, we found significant effects in tumorigenesis. Enriched mice had fewer tumors and smaller tumor volumes compared to impoverished mice. African Americans are at higher risk for early-onset colorectal cancers in part due to social and socioeconomic status. Furthermore, housing conditions often reflect socioeconomic status. Research aimed at understanding the links between socioeconomic status and health is an important future public health initiative.

结直肠癌（Colorectal cancer, CRC）是重大公共卫生问题，且对美国的种族/族裔少数群体影响尤为不成比例。动物模型在探究人类健康差异方面颇具价值，因为诸多应激诱导的人类健康状态可通过小鼠模型得以复现。偶氮甲烷（Azoxymethane, AOM）/葡聚糖硫酸钠（dextran sodium sulfate, DSS）造模方法可用于构建结肠炎相关癌症模型。尽管结肠炎相关癌症仅占结肠癌总数的2%，但AOM/DSS模型对于解析炎症、免疫与结肠癌之间的关联具有重要应用价值。实验小鼠在行为学测试前，分别于丰富环境与贫瘠环境中饲养1个月。行为学测试结束后，对小鼠施加AOM/DSS造模处理。本研究的分析结果显示，贫瘠与丰富饲养环境下的小鼠未出现显著的行为学差异，但在肿瘤发生层面观察到显著效应：丰富环境饲养的小鼠肿瘤数量更少，且肿瘤体积较贫瘠环境饲养的小鼠更小。非裔美国人早发性结直肠癌的发病风险更高，部分原因与社会及社会经济地位相关。此外，饲养环境往往能够反映个体的社会经济地位。旨在阐明社会经济地位与健康之间关联的研究，是未来公共卫生领域的重要发展方向。