Dietary B vitamin and methionine intakes and risk for colorectal cancer: a case-control study in China

High prediagnostic dietary intake of vitamin B2 and vitamin B6 is associated with favorable prognosis of colorectal cancer among Chinese colorectal cancer patients

The potential impact of one-carbon metabolism (OCM)-related B vitamins (vitamin B2, B6, B12, and folate) on colorectal cancer survival warrants investigation but research is sparse. This cohort study examined the association between the prediagnostic dietary intakes of OCM-related B vitamins and colorectal cancer survival. A total of 2799 colorectal cancer patients from the Guangdong Colorectal Cancer Cohort, enrolled at baseline in 2010, were followed for mortality outcomes through 2023. Dietary data were collected from patients using a food frequency questionnaire for the year prior to their diagnosis. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) to examine the association between OCM-related B vitamins and colorectal cancer survival. Restricted cubic spline analyses and stratified analysis were performed. During the follow-up period of approximately 60.33 months, 639 deaths were documented, of which 574 were colorectal cancer-specific deaths. Dietary vitamin B2 and B6 intake was significantly associated with survivals. The adjusted HRs in the highest versus the lowest quartile of vitamin B2 intake were 0.77 (0.62-0.97) for overall survival and 0.71 (0.55-0.90) for colorectal cancer-specific survival, and vitamin B6 intake were 0.79 (0.64-0.99) for overall survival and 0.75 (0.59-0.94) for colorectal cancer-specific survival. Nonlinear associations were observed between vitamin B6 intake and both overall survival and colorectal cancer-specific survival. However, no significant association was found between vitamin B12 or folate intake and survivals. These results suggest that high prediagnostic intake of vitamin B2 and B6 may be associated with improved survivals in colorectal cancer patients.

Biochemical mechanisms and molecular interactions of vitamins in cancer therapy

Recently, the potential role of vitamins in cancer therapy has attracted considerable research attention. However, the reported findings are inconsistent, with limited information on the biochemical and molecular interactions of different vitamins in various cancer cells. Importantly, the presence of vitamin receptors in tumor cells suggests that vitamins play a significant role in the molecular and biochemical interactions in cancers. Additionally, studies on the efficacy of vitamin supplementation and dosage levels on tumor progression and mortality risk have yielded inconsistent results. Notably, molecular and biochemical investigations have reported the function of vitamins in the proliferation, growth, and invasiveness of tumor cells, as well as in cell cycle arrest and inflammatory signaling. Additionally, different vitamins may regulate the cancer microenvironment by activating various molecular pathways. Vitamins significantly affect immunological function, antioxidant defense, inflammation, and epigenetic control, and can improve treatment outcomes by affecting cell behavior and combating stress and DNA damage. However, further research is necessary to confirm the efficacy of vitamins, establish ideal dosages, and develop effective cancer prevention and treatment plans. Individualized supplementation plans guided by medical knowledge are crucial to achieving optimal results in clinical and preclinical settings. In this review, we critically evaluated the effects of different vitamins on the risk and development of cancer. Additionally, we examined the potential of vitamin supplements to enhance the efficacy of drug therapy and counteract resistance mechanisms that often arise during cancer treatment.

Lifestyle, dietary pattern and colorectal cancer: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

In Iran, not only the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing but also the age of patients at diagnosis is alarmingly dropping. We need urgent actions to better understand the epidemiology of CRC and the contributing factors for such pattern in Iranian population. The aim of our study was to determine the potential contribution of lifestyle, including dietary pattern, to CRC in a large Iranian province.

METHODS

A hospital based case-control study was performed on 572 participants (275 cases and 297 controls). Patients in the case group were newly diagnosed with CRC in a referral hospital and patients in the control group were selected from those patients with non-malignancy diseases who were admitted to the same hospital. Control group was frequency matched to the case group for gender and age.

RESULTS

Based on the results of multivariable logistic regression analysis, direct associations were observed between usual pattern of defecation (OR> 3rd /every day =4.74, 95% CI: 1.78-12.59), chicken consumption (ORsometimes or always/occasionally = 6.33, 95% CI:3.23-12.43), family history of CRC (ORyes/no =5.79, 95% CI: 2.72-12.31), and alcohol consumption (ORyes/no =6.03, 95% CI: 2.14-16.98) with the odds of CRC among the study population. On the other hand, taking multivitamins (ORyes/no=0.09, 95% CI:0.04-0.20), consumption of coffee (ORalways/occasionally =0.29, 95% CI: 0.12-0.69), taking vitamins D supplement (ORyes/no =0.38,95% CI:0.22-0.66), and consumption of garlic (ORsometimes/occasionally =0.53,95% CI: 0.30-0.95) significantly reduced the odds of CRC.

CONCLUSIONS

We revealed potentially significant effects of several lifestyle related factors with CRC risk in Iranian population. More studies are required to understand the mechanism of action of the associated factors in developing CRC.

The Role of Dietary Vitamins and Antioxidants in Preventing Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review

The role of dietary vitamins and antioxidants in preventing colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant area of research within nutritional oncology. However, the relationship between these nutrients and CRC prevention is complex and influenced by factors such as dosage, timing, and individual health status. This review aims to comprehensively analyze and synthesize the existing scientific literature on the potential role of dietary vitamins and antioxidants in preventing CRC. A comprehensive literature review was conducted by searching electronic databases to identify studies examining the prospected impacts of dietary vitamins and antioxidants on the prevention of CRC. According to the outcomes of this review, this research review shows a complex link between vitamins and CRC. While some vitamins such as B2, B6, and D seemed helpful, others such as A and E had mixed results. Vitamin C deficiency was even linked to worse outcomes in cancer patients. Overall, the studies suggest focusing on a balanced diet rich in various vitamins rather than relying solely on individual supplements to prevent CRC. On the other hand, the results of our review suggest that the relationship between antioxidant intake and CRC is more intricate than previously thought. Data from this review indicates that taking specific antioxidant supplements such as selenium and vitamin E does not seem to offer the same protection. This suggests that a balanced diet with a variety of antioxidants is more helpful than focusing on single supplements. While we did not observe a direct association, future studies could investigate how different types and combinations of antioxidants might influence CRC development. In conclusion, the present systematic review highlights the need for more research on the relationship between vitamins, antioxidants, and CRC. We need to understand how these nutrients affect both the survival of people with CRC and the prevention of the disease. This will help us determine the best ways to use vitamins and antioxidants in CRC management and prevention.

Vitamin B6 deficiency cooperates with oncogenic Ras to induce malignant tumors in Drosophila

Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin which possesses antioxidant properties. Its catalytically active form, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), is a crucial cofactor for DNA and amino acid metabolism. The inverse correlation between vitamin B6 and cancer risk has been observed in several studies, although dietary vitamin B6 intake sometimes failed to confirm this association. However, the molecular link between vitamin B6 and cancer remains elusive. Previous work has shown that vitamin B6 deficiency causes chromosome aberrations (CABs) in Drosophila and human cells, suggesting that genome instability may correlate the lack of this vitamin to cancer. Here we provide evidence in support of this hypothesis. Firstly, we show that PLP deficiency, induced by the PLP antagonists 4-deoxypyridoxine (4DP) or ginkgotoxin (GT), promoted tumorigenesis in eye larval discs transforming benign RasV12 tumors into aggressive forms. In contrast, PLP supplementation reduced the development of tumors. We also show that low PLP levels, induced by 4DP or by silencing the sgllPNPO gene involved in PLP biosynthesis, worsened the tumor phenotype in another Drosophila cancer model generated by concomitantly activating RasV12 and downregulating Discs-large (Dlg) gene. Moreover, we found that RasV12 eye discs from larvae reared on 4DP displayed CABs, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and low catalytic activity of serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT), a PLP-dependent enzyme involved in thymidylate (dTMP) biosynthesis, in turn required for DNA replication and repair. Feeding RasV12 4DP-fed larvae with PLP or ascorbic acid (AA) plus dTMP, rescued both CABs and tumors. The same effect was produced by overexpressing catalase in RasV12 DlgRNAi 4DP-fed larvae, thus allowing to establish a relationship between PLP deficiency, CABs, and cancer. Overall, our data provide the first in vivo demonstration that PLP deficiency can impact on cancer by increasing genome instability, which is in turn mediated by ROS and reduced dTMP levels.

Association Between Vitamin B12 Intake and Mortality in Patients with Colorectal Cancer: The US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2018

Vitamin B12 plays a role in DNA methylation, influencing the 1-carbon cycle; However, its effect on colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality remains uncertain. This study assessed the relationship between vitamin B12 intake and all-cause and cancer-specific mortality among CRC patients. We analyzed data from the NHANES from 1999 to 2018, using multivariable Cox regression, competing risk model, Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and stratified analysis with interaction effects. The studied involved 4,554 cancer patients (mean age 65.8 years, 47.6% males). Results from multivariate Cox regression indicated that each additional 1 mcg/day of dietary vitamin B12 independently increased the risk of all-cause (HR, 1.07; 95% CI: 1.04-1.09, p < 0.001) and cancer-specific mortality (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.06; p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier curves indicated a higher risk of all-cause mortality with increased vitamin B12 intake (Log rank p = 0.01). Subgroup analysis suggested that higher vitamin B12 intake correlated with increased all-cause mortality risk, especially in individuals with higher protein (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.06; p = 0.019) or carbohydrate intake (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05; p = 0.04). Thus, higher vitamin B12 intake correlates with increased all-cause and cancer-specific mortality in CRC patients, particularly those with higher protein or carbohydrate intake.

Interactions between vitamin B2, the MTRR rs1801394 and MTR rs1805087 genetic polymorphisms, and colorectal cancer risk in a Korean population

OBJECTIVES

We explored whether the association between vitamin B2 and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk could be modified by the MTRR rs1801394 and MTR rs1805087 genetic polymorphisms and examined whether the interaction effects are sex-specific.

METHODS

We performed a case-control study involving 1,420 CRC patients and 2,840 controls from the Korea National Cancer Center. Dietary vitamin B2 intake was assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, and the association with CRC was evaluated. Genotyping was performed using an Illumina MEGA-Expanded Array. For gene-nutrient interaction analysis, pre-matched (1,081 patients and 2,025 controls) and matched (1,081 patients and 1,081 controls) subsets were included. Unconditional and conditional logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

A higher intake of vitamin B2 was associated with a significantly lower CRC risk (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.82; p<0.001). Carriers of at least 1 minor allele of MTRR rs1801394 showed a significantly higher CRC risk (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.83). Males homozygous for the major allele (A) of MTRR rs1801394 and who had a higher intake of vitamin B2 had a significantly lower CRC risk (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.18 to 0.54; p-interaction=0.02). In MTR rs1805087, males homozygous for the major allele (A) and who had a higher vitamin B2 intake had a significantly lower CRC risk (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.25 to 0.60; p-interaction<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The MTRR rs1801394 and MTR rs1805087 genetic polymorphisms may modify the association between vitamin B2 and CRC risk, particularly in males. However, further studies are warranted to confirm these interaction results.

Serum levels of n-3 PUFA and colorectal cancer risk in Chinese population

Circulating n-3 PUFA, which integrate endogenous and exogenous n-3 PUFA, can be better used to investigate the relationship between n-3 PUFA and disease. However, studies examining the associations between circulating n-3 PUFA and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk were limited, and the results remained inconclusive. This case–control study aimed to examine the association between serum n-3 PUFA and CRC risk in Chinese population. A total of 680 CRC cases and 680 sex- and age-matched (5-year interval) controls were included. Fatty acids were assayed by GC. OR and 95 % CI were calculated using multivariable logistic regression after adjustment for potential confounders. Higher level of serum α-linolenic acid (ALA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), DHA, long-chain n-3 PUFA and total n-3 PUFA were associated with lower odds of CRC. The adjusted OR and 95 % CI were 0·34 (0·24, 0·49, Pfor trend < 0·001) for ALA, 0·57 (0·40, 0·80, Pfor trend < 0·001) for DPA, 0·48 (0·34, 0·68, Pfor trend < 0·001) for DHA, 0·39 (0·27, 0·56, Pfor trend < 0·001) for long-chain n-3 PUFA and 0·31 (0·22, 0·45, Pfor trend < 0·001) for total n-3 PUFA comparing the highest with the lowest quartile. However, there was no statistically significant association between EPA and odds of CRC. Analysis stratified by sex showed that ALA, DHA, long-chain n-3 PUFA and total n-3 PUFA were inversely associated with odds of CRC in both sexes. This study indicated that serum ALA, DPA, DHA, long-chain n-3 PUFA and total n-3 PUFA were inversely associated with odds of having CRC in Chinese population.

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN COLORECTAL CANCER AND INDEX OF NUTRITIONAL QUALITY (INQ); A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

•Is the Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ) associated with colon cancer? •This study compared the INQ of various dietary components between colorectal cancer patients and healthy controls. A total of 480 participants were enrolled in the study (160 patients with colorectal cancer as a case group and 320 healthy control). The results showed that CRC is significantly associated with INQ for some micronutrients. INQ can be considered as an indicator to assess clinical nutritional problems. Background - The nutritional quality of diet may influence the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study compared the Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ) of various dietary components between colorectal cancer patients and healthy controls. Methods - A total of 480 participants were enrolled in the study (160 patients with colorectal cancer as a case group and 320 healthy control). An analysis was conducted on the general characteristics of the participants, their medical histories, anthropometric indicators, physical activity, alcohol consumption, reproductive history, smoking and food intake. A valid food frequency questionnaire was used to assess nutrient intake and INQ was calculated from daily nutrient intake. Results - A Significant inverse association was found between CRC and INQ for vitamins A (OR=0.01, CI: 0.01-0.01), K (OR=0.04, CI: 0.01-0.15), and B12 (OR=0.71, CI: 0.51-0.98), B5 (OR=0.43, CI: 0.00-0.01), zinc (OR=0.35, CI: 0.13-0.95), and phosphorus (OR=0.17, 0.19-0.94). The association between the INQ of vitamin B12 and zinc with colorectal cancer was disappeared after age adjustment. There was a significant negative association between CRC with the INQ of vitamins A, K, B5, phosphorus, and calcium after further adjustments for gender, BMI, menopausal status, and total energy intake. Conclusion -CRC is significantly associated with INQ for some micronutrients. INQ can be considered as an indicator to assess clinical nutritional problems.

Association Between Vitamin B6 and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-analysis of Observational Studies

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis aimed to assess the association between vitamin B6 intake, blood PLP levels, and the risk of colorectal cancer.

METHODS

The databases PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase databases were comprehensively searched for cohort studies or case-control studies. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were extracted from each eligible study, and the statistical software Stata was used to perform statistical merging.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight studies (20 cohort studies, 8 case-control studies) were included in our meta-analysis. The combined OR for the association between colorectal cancer risk and vitamin B6 intake was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.68-0.94), while the combined OR between blood PLP levels and colorectal cancer risk was 0.54 (95% CI: 0.35-0.84). In addition, the subgroup analysis revealed that vitamin B6 could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in women [vitamin B6 intake OR = 0.79, 95% CI (0.65-0.96); blood PLP levels OR = 0.41, 95% CI (0.30-0.57)] and also reduce the risk of colon cancer in men and women [vitamin B6 intake OR = 0.76, 95% CI (0.64-0.91); blood PLP levels OR = 0.56, 95% CI (0.42-0.73)].

CONCLUSION

In this meta-analysis, vitamin B6 intake and blood PLP levels were inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk.

An overview of vitamins as epidrugs for colorectal cancer prevention

Gene expression altering epigenomic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromosome remodeling is crucial to regulating many biological processes. Several lifestyle factors, such as diet and natural, bioactive food compounds, such as vitamins, modify epigenetic patterns. However, epigenetic dysregulation can increase the risk of many diseases, including cancer. Various studies have provided supporting and contrasting evidence on the relationship between vitamins and cancer risk. Though there is a gap in knowledge about whether dietary vitamins can induce epigenetic modifications in the context of colorectal cancer (CRC), the possibility of using them as epidrugs for CRC treatment is being explored. This is promising because such studies might be informative about the most effective way to use vitamins in combination with DNA methyltransferase inhibitors and other approved therapies to prevent and treat CRC. This review summarizes the available epidemiological and observational studies involving dietary, circulating levels, and supplementation of vitamins and their relationship with CRC risk. Additionally, using available in vitro, in vivo, and human observational studies, the role of vitamins as potential epigenetic modifiers in CRC is discussed. This review is focused on the action of vitamins as modifiers of DNA methylation because aberrant DNA methylation, together with genetic alterations, can induce the initiation and progression of CRC. Although this review presents some studies with promising results, studies with better study designs are necessary. A thorough understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of vitamin-mediated epigenetic regulation of CRC genes can help identify effective therapeutic targets for CRC prevention and treatment.

Study on the correlation between B vitamins and breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Relevant studies suggest that serum vitamin level is related to the risk of breast cancer, and dietary pattern and drug supplementation can significantly affect the level of vitamin in the body. Therefore, intervention of vitamin level in the body is expected to be a potential strategy to reduce the risk of breast cancer. However, the current epidemiological findings of serum vitamin levels and breast cancer risk are inconsistent, and the relationship between serum vitamin and breast cancer is still controversial. In this study, we compared the serum vitamin expression levels of healthy people, benign breast patients, and breast cancer patients, and evaluated the relationship between B vitamin levels and breast cancer risk.

METHODS

The study used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to determine the serum vitamin levels of 520 people who attended Yunnan Cancer Hospital from September 2020 to December 2020. After screening by exclusion criteria, 38 patients with benign breast diseases, 87 patients with breast cancer and 91 healthy controls were finally included. The kruskal-wallis H test was used to compare the differences in serum vitamin levels of subjects. Χ² test was used to evaluate the relationship between B vitamin level and age,BMI,TNM staging,Ki-67,Her-2,surgery and chemotherapy, and other baseline characteristics and through binary logistic regression analysis, calculating odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) to evaluate the relationship between B vitamins and breast cancer risk.

CONCLUSION

The levels of VitB1 and VitB5 in the serum of breast cancer patients and patients with benign breast diseases were higher than those in the healthy control group, while the expression levels of VitB3 in breast cancer patients were lower than those in the healthy control group and the breast benign disease groups. The level of VitB1 was positively correlated with breast cancer risk. The VitB3 level was negatively correlated with breast cancer risk. The VitB5 level is not significantly related to the risk of breast cancer.

Association between Dietary Fatty Acid Patterns and Colorectal Cancer Risk: A Large-Scale Case-Control Study in China

Associations of dietary fatty acids with the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) remain controversial. The objective of this study was to examine whether dietary-derived fatty acid patterns were related to CRC risk among Chinese people. A total of 2806 CRC patients and 2806 frequency-matched controls were interviewed in this case-control study between July 2010 and May 2021. A food frequency questionnaire was used to gather information on dietary intake. Four fatty acid patterns were identified using factor analysis. The even-long-chain fatty acid pattern had no statistically significant association with CRC risk (adjusted Odds ratio (aOR), 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.97-1.39; ptrend = 0.129). However, significant inverse associations were found between the medium-chain and long-chain saturated fatty acid (SFA) pattern (aOR, 0.34; 95%CI, 0.27-0.42), the highly unsaturated fatty acid pattern (aOR, 0.73; 95%CI, 0.60-0.88), the odd-chain fatty acid pattern (aOR, 0.69; 95%CI, 0.57-0.83), and CRC risk. The interaction between fatty acid patterns and sex was observed, and the association between the highly unsaturated fatty acid pattern and CRC risk differed by subsite. In conclusion, increasing the intakes of foods rich in medium-chain SFAs, highly unsaturated fatty acids, and odd-chain fatty acids may be related to a lower risk of CRC.

Dietary methyl donor nutrients, DNA mismatch repair polymorphisms, and risk of colorectal cancer based on microsatellite instability status

PURPOSE

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease caused by complex interplay among the diet, the environment, and genetics involving numerous molecules and pathological pathways. This study aimed to determine whether methyl donor nutrients are associated with CRC and how these associations are altered by DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes.

METHODS

In total, 626 cases and 838 age- and sex-matched controls were recruited for this case-control study. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to assess seven methyl donor nutrients (vitamin B₂, niacin, B₆, folate, B₁₂, methionine, and choline). MMR polymorphisms were genotyped using an Illumina MEGA-Expanded Array. For the 626 patients, the microsatellite instability status and immunohistochemical expression of MMR proteins were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Among the methyl donor nutrients, B₂, niacin, B₆, folate, and methionine were inversely associated with CRC risk, while a high intake of choline increased CRC. Regarding MMR genes, three hMSH3 polymorphisms (rs32952 A > C, rs41097 A > G, and rs245404 C > G) reduced CRC risk. Regarding gene-diet interactions, a stronger interaction effect was observed in G allele carriers of hMSH3 rs41097 with high niacin intake than in AA carriers with low niacin intake (OR, 95% CI = 0.49, 0.33-0.72, P for interaction = 0.02) in subgroups of patients with distal colon cancer (P for interaction = 0.008) and MMR proficiency with microsatellite stability (P for interaction = 0.021).

CONCLUSIONS

Methyl donor nutrients may affect CRC risk leading to a balance in the MMR machinery.

Association of Serum Pyridoxal-5'-Phosphate, Pyridoxal, and PAr with Colorectal Cancer Risk: A Large-Scale Case-Control Study

Previous epidemiological studies have focused on the association of dietary vitamin B6 or circulating pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP) with colorectal cancer risk. This study aimed to investigate the vitamin B6 in relation to colorectal cancer risk combining the biomarkers of PLP, pyridoxal (PL) plus PLP, and PAr (the ratio of 4-pyridoxic acid over the sum of PLP and PL). A large-scale hospital-based case-control study was conducted in Guangdong Province, China, which included 1233 colorectal cancer cases and 1245 sex and age frequency-matched controls. Serum PLP, PL, and 4-pyridoxic acid (PA) were detected with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to assess the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Serum PLP and the sum of PLP and PL were inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk, while PAr was positively associated with colorectal cancer risk. Comparing the highest with the lowest quartile, the adjusted OR (95% CI) was 0.26 (0.20−0.33, Ptrend < 0.001) for serum PLP, 0.51 (0.40−0.66, Ptrend < 0.001) for serum PLP plus PL, and 2.90 (2.25−3.75, Ptrend < 0.001) for PAr. Serum PLP and PAr had significantly stronger associations with colorectal cancer risk in the male group and smoking group. Our results supported the protective role of vitamin B6 in colorectal cancer risk among Chinese people. The positive association of PAr with colorectal cancer risk suggested the potential role of inflammation and oxidative stress in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Prediction of Pathogenic Factors in Dysbiotic Gut Microbiomes of Colorectal Cancer Patients Using Reverse Microbiomics

Background

Gut microbiome plays a crucial role in the formation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). To better identify the underlying gene-level pathogenic mechanisms of microbiome-associated CRC, we applied our newly developed Reverse Microbiomics (RM) to predict potential pathogenic factors using the data of microbiomes in CRC patients.

Results

Our literature search first identified 40 bacterial species enriched and 23 species depleted in the guts of CRC patients. These bacteria were systematically modeled and analyzed using the NCBI Taxonomy ontology. Ten species, including 6 enriched species (e.g., Bacteroides fragilis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Streptococcus equinus) and 4 depleted species (e.g., Bacteroides uniformis and Streptococcus thermophilus) were chosen for follow-up comparative genomics analysis. Vaxign was used to comparatively analyze 47 genome sequences of these ten species. In total 18 autoantigens were predicted to contribute to CRC formation, six of which were reported with experimental evidence to be correlated with drug resistance and/or cell invasiveness of CRC. Interestingly, four human homology proteins (EDK89078.1, EDK87700.1, EDK89777.1, and EDK89145.1) are conserved among all enriched strains. Furthermore, we predicted 76 potential virulence factors without homology to human proteins, including two riboflavin synthase proteins, three ATP-binding cassettes (ABC) transporter protein family proteins, and 12 outer membrane proteins (OMPs). Riboflavin synthase is present in all the enriched strains but not in depleted species. The critical role of riboflavin synthase in CRC development was further identified from its hub role in our STRING-based protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and from the finding of the riboflavin metabolism as the most significantly enriched pathway in our KEGG pathway analysis. A novel model of the CRC pathogenesis involving riboflavin synthase and other related proteins including TpiA and GrxC was further proposed.

Conclusions

The RM strategy was used to predict 18 autoantigens and 76 potential virulence factors from CRC-associated microbiome data. In addition to many of these autoantigens and virulence factors experimentally verified as reported in the literature, our study predicted many new pathogenetic factors and developed a new model of CRC pathogenesis involving the riboflavin synthase from the enriched colorectal bacteria and other associated proteins.

Solanaceous Vegetables and Colorectal Cancer Risk: A Hospital-Based Matched Case-Control Study in Northeast China

Background: Dietary factors are regarded as an essential influence in changing colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. However, there is no clear conclusion of the relationship between solanaceous vegetables and colorectal cancer at present. The study aimed to evaluate the intake of solanaceous vegetables in relation to colorectal cancer risk among the Northeast Chinese population.

Methods: We carried out a hospital-based case-control study in three hospitals in Northeast China from 2009 to 2011. The study finally included 833 patients with CRC and 833 controls matched separately according to age, gender, and city of residence. We applied a structural questionnaire to collect demographic characteristics and dietary information by face-to-face interview and adopted conditional logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Stratified analyses were conducted by sex and subsites.

Results: There was no obvious correlation between total intake of solanaceous plants and CRC risk. The adjusted OR for the highest quartile and the lowest quartile was 1 (95% CI: 0.68–1.5). Certain types of solanaceous vegetables were negatively associated with the risk of CRC, such as eggplant (OR = 0.42; 95% CI:0.29–0.62) and sweet pepper (OR = 0.48; 95%CI: 0.33–0.7). Potato was found to have a positive correlation with CRC (OR = 1.76; 95% CI: 1.26–2.47). In the stratified analyses by gender, total solanaceous vegetables intake was inversely associated with CRC risk only in men. In the stratified analyses of cancer subsites, no significant association between total solanaceous vegetables intake and CRC risk was found.

Conclusion: No findings showed that the intake of total solanaceous vegetables was related to the reduction of CRC risk. However, specific types of solanaceous vegetables indicated an inverse association with CRC risk.

Prognostic Significance of Plasma Folate and Cobalamin Concentrations in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study

This cohort study aimed to investigate prognostic significance of plasma folate and cobalamin in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). A total of 177 NMIBC patients were followed over a period extending to 6 years. Cox regression models were applied to estimate risks for recurrence and progression according to plasma vitamins tertiles. Compared to first tertile, third tertile of plasma folate [HR (95% CI), 10.5 (1.32-83.4); p = 0.026] was associated, and of plasma cobalamin [2.12 (0.63-7.25); p = 0.116] tended to be associated with higher risk for progression. NIMBC patients with high folate/cobalamin statuses should make the physician more alert for a likely poor outcome.