An analytical method for the measurement of fecal neutral and acid sterols from rats with induced large bowel tumorigenesis

A convenient method for the isolation and quantitative determination of neutral and acid sterols from feces of rats with large bowel tumors induced by a carcinogen 1,2dimethylhydrazine (DMH), has been developed. The procedure includes an initial Soxhlet extraction of the fecal material, containing 14C-cholesterol and 3H-glycocholic acid in order to ensure efficient recovery of the sterols from the feces. A combination of thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) analysis of the appropriate derivatives of the sterols was employed for the isolation and quantification procedure. The method permitted a rapid and accurate estimation of fecal neutral and acid sterols in rats with large bowel tumors, thereby elucidating the plausible role and correlation of cholesterol metabolites with colon tumorigenesis.