Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have shown a new mechanism for how human consumption of red meat could contribute to the increased risk of cancerous tumors. Their findings, which suggest that inflammation resulting from a molecule introduced through consumption of these foods could promote tumor growth.
They studied a non-human cellular molecule called N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc). Neu5Gc is a type of glycan, or sugar molecule, that humans don’t naturally produce, but that can be incorporated into human tissues as a result of eating red meat. The body then develops anti-Neu5Gc antibodies – an immune response that could potentially lead to chronic inflammation.
It has been recognized by scientists for some time that chronic inflammation can actually stimulate cancer so the researchers wondered if this was why tumors containing the non-human molecule grew even in the presence of Neu5Gc antibodies.
Using specially bred mouse models that lacked the Neu5Gc molecule – mimicking humans before the molecule is absorbed into the body through ingesting red meat – the researchers induced tumors containing Neu5Gc, and then administered anti-Neu5Gc antibodies to half of the mice. In mice that were given antibodies inflammation was induced, and the tumors grew faster. In the control mice that were not treated with antibodies, the tumors were less aggressive.
Source: EurekAlert, 13 November 2008
Chapter: Cancer :: 9 December 2008
