Switching to a Healthy Diet Prevents the Detrimental Effects of Western Diet in a Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer Model

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease increases the odds of developing colitis-associated cancer. We hypothesized that Western-style diet (WD) aggravates azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-induced colitis-associated tumorigenesis and that switching to the standard AIN93G diet will ameliorate disease symptoms even after cancer initiation. Female BALB/c mice received either WD (WD group) or standard AIN93G diet (AIN group) for the whole experimental period. After five weeks, the mice received 12.5 mg/kg AOM intraperitoneally, followed by three DSS cycles. In one group of mice, the WD was switched to AIN93G the day before starting the first DSS cycle (WD/AIN group). Feeding the WD during the whole experimental period aggravated colitis symptoms, shortened the colon (p < 0.05), changed microbiota composition and increased tumor promotion. On molecular level, the WD reduced proliferation (p < 0.05) and increased expression of the vitamin D catabolizing enzyme Cyp24a1 (p < 0.001). The switch to the AIN93G diet ameliorated this effect, reflected by longer colons, fewer (p < 0.05) and smaller (p < 0.01) aberrant colonic crypt foci, comparable with the AIN group. Our results show that switching to a healthy diet, even after cancer initiation is able to revert the deleterious effect of the WD and could be an effective preventive strategy to reduce colitis symptoms and prevent tumorigenesis.

Epidemiology characteristics of ethnic minority colorectal cancer in Yunnan in Southwestern China

“…The diets of many ethnic minorities include a raw food diet, and long-term exposure leads to greater damage to the digestive tract. Many epidemiological investigations have shown that foods with saturated fat are associated with the incidence of CRC and that healthy eating habits can help to prevent CRC ( 18 ). A large number of studies have shown that long-term consumption of saturated fatty acid-foods could increase the incidence of CRC, as evidenced by the positive correlation between food intake frequency and CRC risk ( 19 - 22 ).…”

Gut Microbiota: Influence on Carcinogenesis and Modulation Strategies by Drug Delivery Systems to Improve Cancer Therapy

“…[43,185] Therefore, modulating gut microbiota by dietary control can be regarded as a moderate modality for preventing CRC. [43,127] High-fat diets significantly decrease microbial abundance, and promotes opportunistic pathogens while suppressing beneficial bacteria. [186] Particularly, SCFA-producing bacteria including Roseburia and Barnesiella are suppressed by high-fat diets.…”

“…[126] The carcinogenetic role of these metabolites is associated with highprotein diet-induced disease. [127] Ammonia is nocuous for gastrointestinal mucosa, lowers the SCFA and elevates the pH value of colonic environments, thereby predisposing them to tumorigenesis. [128] P-cresol is a methyl phenol that is degraded from tyrosine through microbial actions.…”

Potential chemopreventive, anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties of a refined artocarpin-rich wood extract of Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.

“…Approximately 20% of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer in Jamaica between 2008 and 2012 were younger than 50 years old 5 . A recent study on a murine model showed that moving away from a Western diet even after carcinogenesis may reduce tumor burden 6 , demonstrating that incorporating dietary compounds containing anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties may have added benefits in treating and preventing colorectal cancer. Given that nature has inspired significant solutions to cancer therapy in the past four decades 7 and the demonstrated reliance and confidence on ethnomedicines by cancer patients 8 , it is imperative that nature’s sources be fully evaluated as novel therapeutic options for the treatment and prevention of CRC.…”