In mice, transplacental exposure to the chemical carcinogen dibenzo[def,p]chrysene (DBC) causes development of T-ALL in young adult offspring leading to early mortality. Maternal consumption of the bioactive food chemical I3C, present in cruciferous vegetables, confers protection to offspring against DBC-initiated T-ALL.  In this study, we investigated the timing of dietary I3C exposure prior to and during pregnancy and compared the efficacy of I3C to its major acid condensation product, 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM). I3C (500 ppm or 2000 ppm) fed during gestation and lactation provided significant (P<0.01) protection against DBC-initiated T-ALL in offspring (29% and 76% survival, respectively, compared to 14% for control animals).  Pre-feeding dams prior to pregnancy with 2000 ppm I3C did not enhance this protection.  However, dietary DIM (350 ppm) did not alter cancer outcome. These data suggest that I3C, or other acid condensation product, is likely responsible for the transplacental chemoprevention observed in this murine model of T-ALL.

Transplacental chemoprevention by dietary indole-3-carbinol (I3C) in a mouse model of T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL)

244th National Meeting (2012)

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