Award details

Faecal methylation, gene expression and disease outcome in people consuming fish

Reference	BBS/E/F/00051945
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Elizabeth Lund
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Quadram Institute Bioscience
Department	Quadram Institute Bioscience Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	9,397
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/10/2004
End date	30/09/2008
Duration	48 months

Abstract

Background: Changes in the methylation of CpG-islands within the promoter regions of a gene can inhibit transcription of genes involved in the neoplastic process. Increased methylation of these regions has been shown to occur in inflammatory bowel disease and this may provide at least a partial explanation as to why such patients are at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Low selenium status has been shown to be associated with over expression of DNAmethyltransferase (DNMT1) which in turn induces hypermethylation of the CpG islands. We have previously developed assays to measure CpG-island methylation in faeces for use as biomarkers for mucosal field defects predisposing to cancer and we therefore wish to test the impact of a high fish diet, which contains anti-inflammatory n-3 fatty acids and is a good source of dietary selenium, on this parameter. Aim: To assess whether CpG-island methylation is correlated with variations in gene expression and other markers of colorectal cancer risk in different pre-malignant states, and to test the hypothesis that CpG-island methylation can be modified by n-3 fatty acids and selenium from dietary fish. Approach: In samples from an EU-funded human intervention study on fish consumption and colorectal cancer risk, we will compare CpG-island methylation in faecal DNA with gene expression using a combination of real- time RT-PCR and microarray analysis, investigate CpG-islands in genes associated with disease, select novel genes for use as biomarkers, and assess whether dietary intervention with fish can modify DNA methylation.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	Diet and Health
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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