Phospholipid fatty acid patterns in the mucosa of human colorectal adenomas and carcinomas

Shim, Yoo Jin; Choi, Kyu Yong; Lee, Won Chul; Kim, Mi Kyung; Lee, Se Young; Lee-Kim, Yang Cha

doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2004.12.007

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Volume 25, Issue 3 , Pages 261-269, March 2005

Phospholipid fatty acid patterns in the mucosa of human colorectal adenomas and carcinomas

Yoo Jin Shim
- Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
Kyu Yong Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Inchon, 403-720 Republic of Korea
Won Chul Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 137-701 Republic of Korea
Mi Kyung Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 137-701 Republic of Korea
Se Young Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 137-701 Republic of Korea
Yang Cha Lee-Kim
- Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +82 2 2123 3118; fax: +82 2 312 5229.

Received 22 August 2003; received in revised form 8 October 2004; accepted 23 December 2004.

Abstract

The incidence of colon cancer has increased remarkably in Korea during the last decade. Fatty acids in cell membranes have been implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis. Few studies have focused on the composition of the phospholipid (PL) fatty acids in the mucosa of colorectal adenomas and cancers. Thus, PL fatty acid patterns were studied in the colorectal mucosa of patients with colorectal adenomatous polyposis (n = 27) and colorectal cancer (n = 8), compared with healthy control subjects (n = 38). Significant increases in the ratios of ω6/ω3 and P/S and unsaturation index were observed in both the colorectal adenomatous polyps and cancerous tissues as compared with the normal tissues of the control subjects. Significantly higher ratios of C18:1/C18:0 and C20:4(n-6)/C20:3(n-6) were also observed in both groups of patients with cancer. In conclusion, although many questions still remain, the significant changes in mucosal PL fatty acid patterns observed in this study suggest that the PL fatty acids may have roles in human colorectal carcinogenesis.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer, Colorectal adenoma, Colorectal mucosa, Phospholipid fatty acids