WAGENINGEN, The Netherlands— An increase in the consumption of either oil-rich or lean fish to two portions weekly over six months does not markedly change apoptotic and mitotic rates in the colonic mucosa (Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90(2):354-61).In a multicenter, randomized, controlled intervention trial, 242 patients with colorectal polyps, inactive ulcerative colitis or no macroscopic signs of disease were recruited and randomly allocated to receive dietary advice plus either 300 g/week of oil-rich fish (salmon) (n=82), 300 g/week of lean fish (cod) (n=78) or only dietary advice (DA) (n=82).
The total number of apoptotic cells per crypt did not increase in the salmon or cod group: –0.10 and –0.06, respectively, compared with the DA group. The total number of mitotic cells per crypt decreased nonsignificantly in the salmon group and in the cod group compared with the DA group. Furthermore, the distribution of mitosis within the crypt did not significantly change in either group.
