PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsNewsCommon gut bacteria may cause bowel cancer

BioNews

Common gut bacteria may cause bowel cancer

Published 28 February 2020 posted in News and appears in BioNews 1037

Author

Dr Jay Stone

PET BioNews

A common strain of gut bacteria may drive genetic changes that cause bowel cancer, according to research published in Nature...

A common strain of gut bacteria may drive genetic changes that cause bowel cancer, according to research published in Nature.

The study showed a toxin called colibactin, which is released by a particular strain of E. coli that is part of the normal gut flora (the trillions of bacteria that naturally live in the bowel), can induce specific DNA changes in cells that line the gut. These unique DNA alterations are also found in bowel cancer tumours, demonstrating a direct link between the toxin and cancer.

Professor David Dearnaley, professor of uro-oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: 'In recent years, the number of studies looking at the impact of the gut microbiome on diseases like cancer has increased. This exciting study is the first to find a clear relationship between a specific type of gut bacteria and the development of colorectal cancer in a small group of patients.'

The research, funded by a £20 million Cancer Research UK Grand Challenge award and carried out by scientists in the Netherlands, UK and USA, used miniature, lab-grown replicas of the human gut, called organoids, to test the effects of colibactin.

After five months of toxin exposure, the intestinal organoids had double the amount of DNA damage compared to those that were toxin free. The DNA damage was also found to be very specific, as if colibactin left a fingerprint.

In order to assess whether colibactin-induced DNA changes contribute to cancer, the scientists compared the pattern of DNA damage they observed in lab cultures to real life patient tumour samples.

First, they analysed DNA sequences of more than 3600 tumour samples taken from a range of cancer types. They found colibactin changes appeared more often in bowel cancer.

Next, they narrowed their search, using 2000 tumour samples, collected from bowel cancer patients as part of the 100,000 Genomes Project. Among these samples, colibactin-induced DNA changes were present in four to five percent of cases.

'Things like tobacco or UV light are known to cause specific patterns of DNA damage, and these fingerprints can tell us a lot about past exposures that may have caused cancer to start.' Professor Hans Clevers, Grand Challenge co-investigator at the Hubrecht Institute and study lead said. 'But this is the first time we've seen such a distinctive pattern of DNA damage in bowel cancer, which has been caused by a bacterium that lives in our gut.'

More than 42,000 new cases of bowel cancer are diagnosed every year in the UK. Scientists suggest colibactin may contribute to one in 20 (approximately 2100) of these cases.

Exactly how colibactin is triggering or contributing to bowel cancer needs to be studied further, but knowing these specific DNA alterations could help to better identify people at a higher risk of cancer.

John Barnes, patient advocate for Grand Challenge said: 'As a cancer survivor, I don't want others to go through what I've gone through. Catching bowel cancer at an earlier stage while it's still treatable has the potential to save thousands of people's lives. This brilliant research gives me hope that people may not have to suffer from bowel cancer in the future.'

Sources and References

  • 27/02/2020
    New Atlas
    Toxin produced by common gut bacteria linked to bowel cancer
  • 27/02/2020
    The Guardian
    Common toxin made in gut can cause bowel cancer, scientists find
  • 27/02/2020
    BBC News
    E. coli gut infection linked to bowel cancer
  • 27/02/2020
    EurekAlert
    Genetic 'fingerprints' implicate gut bacterium in bowel cancer
  • 27/02/2020
    Genomics England
    Participants in 100,000 Genomes Project instrumental in ground-breaking advance in understanding of bowel cancer growth
  • 27/02/2020
    Nature
    Mutational signature in colorectal cancer caused by genotoxic pks+ E. coli

Related Articles

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
10 December 2021 • 3 minutes read

New CRISPR methods with potential for microbiome genome editing

by Christina Burke

Researchers have developed several new CRISPR techniques to modify the genomes of bacterial populations on a large scale...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
11 November 2021 • 2 minutes read

Genetic variants could link anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome

by Francesca Gavins

Irritable bowel syndrome and mood and anxiety disorders are genetically linked, with brain-gut pathways playing a key role...

Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false colour).
CC BY 4.0
Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false-coloured cryogenic scanning electron micrograph).
News
3 April 2020 • 2 minutes read

Neighbour cells implicated in colorectal cancer

by Dr Nicoletta Charolidi

A new study characterising the microenvironment of colorectal cancers has revealed a distinct population of cells, residing next to tumour-initiating stem cells, which themselves promote the start of tumour growth in the colon...

PET BioNews
News
10 October 2019 • 1 minute read

Mini organs grown from tumours predict patient chemo response

by Dr Maria Botcharova

Structures grown from patient's tumour cells can help identify which patients will benefit from chemotherapy drugs, according to a new study...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
17 May 2019 • 2 minutes read

Bowel cancer rates rising among younger adults

by Grace O'Regan

The incidence of bowel cancer is increasing among under 50s in Europe and other high-income countries around the world, two studies have confirmed...

PET BioNews
News
13 April 2018 • 2 minutes read

Organoids made from patients' bladder cancers

by Sarah Gregory

Researchers in the USA have created patient-specific organoids that mimic the effects of bladder cancer tumours...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« Retinal gene therapy trial shows positive result

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.

Find out how you can advertise here
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Popular
  • Recent
8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Placenta and organ formation observed in mouse embryo models

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Lower hormone doses may improve IVF egg quality

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Boosting muscle cell production of gene therapy proteins

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

First UK medical guidelines issued for trans fertility preservation

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Male age has more impact on IVF birth rate than previously thought

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Placenta and organ formation observed in mouse embryo models

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Complex structures of the human heart bioengineered

8 August 2022 • 1 minute read

Brain tumour gene also linked to childhood cancers

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Lower hormone doses may improve IVF egg quality

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Boosting muscle cell production of gene therapy proteins

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856