Cytokine Mediates Obesity-related Factors Linked to Colorectal Cancer: Study

Cytokine interleukin-1ß, (IL-1ß) levels are higher in obesity, IL-1 receptor signaling activates multiple pathways leading to colon cancer, revealed new study. The findings of the study are published in Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research //(JICR) from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Click hereto read the full-text article free on the Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research(JICR). Joel Mason, Tufts University and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston MA, and colleagues from Tufts University, coauthored the article entitled "Interleukin-1 Signaling Mediates Obesity-Promoted Elevations in Inflammatory Cytokines, Wnt Activation, and Epithelial Proliferation in the Mouse Colon."

The researchers set out to define the role of IL-1ß in mediating the events leading up to obesity-promoted colorectal cancer. They compared the role of IL-1ß in mice fed either a high-fat (obese) or low-fat (lean) diet.

Among the changes they found were that obese mice had 30-80% greater concentrations of IL-1ß in the colonic mucosa, a significant increase in the Wnt signaling cascade, and a significant expansion in the proliferation zone of the colonic crypt.

"This study reveals the close linkage of obesity and the inflammatory response and reflects the broad actions of IL-1ß that define obesity as one of many inflammatory diseases," says Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research Editor-in-Chief Michael Gale Jr., Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease.

Source-Eurekalert