A new type of lipid called sphingolipids could be the principal link in the association between cancer, diet and inflammation, said Julie Saba, MD, PhD and her colleagues from the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute.

The team discovered that metabolite sphingosine-1-phosphate, which is produced by normal cells of the human body and found in mammalian food products, is able to contribute to inflammation-linked colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.

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On the other hand, sphingolipids derived from plants and soy called sphingadienes may guard against the illnesses.

The association between cancer and inflammation has been known for over a century. This is specifically manifest in colon carcinogenesis since patients that have inflammatory bowel disease or IBD have higher chances of acquiring colon cancer than those who do not.

Evidence suggests inflammation adds to cell transformation, one of the initial stages of carcinogenesis in which cells acquires a number of aspects of cancer. There are observations that colon cancer and IBD prevalence increases as countries industrialize.

This suggests changes in nutrition and diet contribute to colitis-linked colon cancer and colitis itself.

Bioactive sphingolipids play crucial roles in carcinogenesis because of their capability to regulate apoptosis pathways, immunity, inflammation and stress responses. The effect of metabolism of shingolipids is specifically relevant in colon cancer, as epithelial cells in the gut are exposed to the metabolites produced in the breakdown of sphingolipids.

The final breakdown of mammalian sphingolipids, S1p, is a lipid that signals inflammation that encourages cell growth and carcinogenesis.

During the progression of colon cancer and malignant transformation, genetic modifications in the gut tissues occur. These modifications includes a decrease in S1P lyase, the enzyme that  reduces the amount of S1P, while the one that generates it increases.

The changes lead to the build-up of the metabolite in the mucosa of the gut.

TagsCancer, Inflammation, diet, Colon cancer, Sphingolipid, Sphingosine-1-phosphate