Effects of Dietary Fatty Acid and Protein Sources on Serum Protein Profiles and Liver Functional Enzyme Activities in Rats with DMBA-Induced Mammary Tumors

This study was conducted to examine the effects of dietary sources of fatty acids and protein on serum protein profiles, hepatic functional enzyme activities, mammary tumor incidence and tumor weight in 7, 12-dimethylbenz($\alpha$)anthracene (DMBA)-treated rats. The sources of dietary fatty acids were 18n6 (rich in linoleic acid), 18n3 (rich in linolenic acid) and 22n3 (rich in DHA) : sources of dietary protein were casein (C) and soy protein isolate (S). mammary tumors (MTs) were chemically induced by DMBA (9 mg/100 g body weight) which was gastrically intubated at 7 weeks of age. Each experimental diet was given for the following 25 weeks. Casein-fed rats (group C) exhibited significantly higher levels of weight gain and FER (food efficiency ratio) than did group S. Group C showed higher levels of serum protein and globulin, and higher albumin/globulin (A/G) ratios than group S. Liver functional enzyme activities (GOT, GPT, ALP, LDH, $\gamma$-GT) and LDH/GOT ratios were not influenced by dietary protein. GPT activity was lower in the group given 18n3, and ALP activity was lower in the group given 18n6. The incidence and total number of MTs appeared to be lower in the group given 22n3 than in the group given 18n3 or 18n6, even though the average weight of MTs was highest in the group given 22n3, The average weight of MTs was higher in the C group than in the S group. MT incidence had a positive correlation with LDH activity and LDH/GOT ratio. The average weight of MTs had a negative correlation with serum albumin levels and A/G ratios, and a positive correlation with ALP activity. This research suggests that the measurement of serum protein profiles and liver functional enzyme activities may be utilized to monitor the development of mammary tumors.