Pharmacological doses of dietary curcumin increase colon epithelial cell proliferation in vivo in rats.

Although curcumin has preventive actions in animal models of colon cancer, whether the mechanism of action is through anti-proliferation in normal environment is not clearly understood. Here, we studied the effects of chemopreventive doses of curcumin on the proliferation rate of colon epithelial cells (CEC), using a recently developed stable isotope-mass spectrometric method for measuring DNA synthesis rate. Adult male F344 rats were given diets containing 0, 2 and 4% curcumin for 5 weeks.

In vivo measurement of DNA synthesis rates of colon epithelial cells in carcinogenesis.

We describe here a highly sensitive technique for measuring DNA synthesis rates of colon epithelial cells in vivo. Male SD rats were given (2)H(2)O (heavy water). Colon epithelial cells were isolated, DNA was extracted, hydrolyzed to deoxyribonucleosides, and the deuterium enrichment of the deoxyribose moiety was determined by gas chromatographic/mass spectrometry.

Isolation of nuclei from label-retaining cells and measurement of their turnover rates in rat colon.

We describe here a new technique for isolating nuclei from long-term label-retaining cells (LRCs), a subpopulation enriched with stem cells from colon, and for measuring their proliferation rates in vivo. A double-label approach was developed, combining the use of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and (2)H(2)O. Male Fisher 344 rats were administered BrdU in drinking water continuously for 2-8 wk.