Epigenetics, Probiotic Metabolites and Colon Cancer Prevention: An Overview of Progress, Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common epithelial neoplasia across the globe, with about 1.2 million newly diagnosed cases and over 600,000 mortalities annually. The underlying causes are numerous including dietary ingredients, environmental factors and gut metabolome that affect colon cellular gene regulation and post-translational modifications of the proteome. Collectively, these alterations initiate epigenetic modifications leading to the inception of various metabolic diseases and malignancies. Epigenetics is at the core of modern medicine since it deals with complex processes that turn the expression of certain genes on and off, and it elucidates the mechanisms and connections between genotypes and the environment during various stages of life. However, the majority of the vertical molecular mechanisms with reference to epigenomics, epigenetic and metabolic ailments are still unidentified and need further research. This article summarizes the burgeoning role of probiotic metabolites and some prominent therapeutic dietary ingredients in the management of CRC.

Fortification of Commercial Nixtamalized Maize (Zea mays L.) with Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Increased the Nutritional and Nutraceutical Content of Tortillas without Modifying Sensory Properties

“…As well as in yield, CBMF tortillas were not significantly different to CMF tortillas (Table 1). These results are in accordance with those reported by Lecuona-Villanueva et al (2012) for tortillas added with Phaseolus lunatus protein extract. Regarding puffing of tortillas, which is a desirable characteristic, CBMF tortillas had significantly higher values than CMF tortillas as can be observed in Table 1.…”

“…The presence of stachyose in CBMF tortillas increase its nutraceutical potential, as stachyose can be fermented by gut microbiota into short chain fatty acids (SCFA), mainly acetate, propionate and butyrate, recognized as regulators of colonic pH, to be substrates for colonocytes and to prevent the formation of aberrant crypt foci in in vivo models (Kumar et al . ).…”

“…Stachyiose concentration in CBMF was significantly higher than CMF tortillas; this correlates with the analysis of stachyose in the flours, having CBF considerably higher content of the oligosaccharide than CMF (data not shown). The presence of stachyose in CBMF tortillas increase its nutraceutical potential, as stachyose can be fermented by gut microbiota into short chain fatty acids (SCFA), mainly acetate, propionate and butyrate, recognized as regulators of colonic pH, to be substrates for colonocytes and to prevent the formation of aberrant crypt foci in in vivo models (Kumar et al 2013). Polyphenols.…”

Dairy consumption and risk of esophagus cancer in the prostate, lung, colorectal, and ovarian cohort

“…Both probiotics have been found to have multiple mechanisms against cancer. They have been shown to inhibit pernicious bacterial growth in order to reduce carcinogenic enzymes such as β-glycosidase and azoreductase (35). They have been discovered to exert antimutagenicity against mutagenic substances in vitro (36).…”

An Update on the Effectiveness of Probiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer

“…Bifidobacterium longum, isolated from breast milk, induced the expression of the tumour suppressor miRNAs miR-145 and miR-15 in murine colorectal cancer [95]. Kumar et al emphasized that probiotic metabolites prevent colon cancer via epigenetic mechanisms and the metabiotics of probiotics play a key role in this process [96]. However, research related to the reactivation of tumour suppressors by probiotics is still in its infancy.…”