Folate may protect colon from DNA damage

Low levels of dietary folate may increase the risk of DNA damage in colon cells, and ultimately the risk of cancer, suggests researchers in the United Kingdom and Texas who combined proteomic and biochemical approaches to show that proteins known to play a part in formation of cancer are affected by low folate levels. Such a relationship was “hitherto unrecognized”, wrote the researchers in the Journal of Proteome Research.

Previous studies have already suggested that folate deficiency may promote the risk of colorectal cancer. The subject of folate and colorectal cancer is controversial, however, with some studies reporting that the B-vitamin may in fact increase the risk of the disease. On the other hand, other studies have reported protective benefits from folate for colorectal cancer.

The Aberdeen-based researchers, in collaboration with scientists from the Incell Corporation in San Antonio, Texas, used functional biomarkers combined with proteomics to elucidate the mechanisms behind changes to DNA caused by folate deficiency in a human colon cells.

Proteomics is the study of proteins that carry out the biological functions in the biochemical pathway.

The cells were cultured in folate-deficient and folate-sufficient media, and proteins involved in proliferation, DNA repair, programmed cell death (apoptosis), and those linked to the transformation of cells into malignancies.

Proteins associated with all of these processes were altered, and the researchers specifically noted that proteins such as Nit2 and COMT associated with the malignant transformation had not previously been associated with low folate levels.

“This is the first study to describe how folate deficiency alters global protein expression and genomic stability in non-cancer-derived human colon cells in vitro,” wrote Duthie and co-workers.

Bonnie - this is exciting stuff. I mentioned in my State of the Nutritionist Speech back in December that utilizing proteonomic, metabolomic, and genetic assessments would give a much clearer picture of what an individual's nutritional needs may be. Here is one study that has utilized two of those techniques.