The Relationship Between Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors and LINE-1 DNA Methylation in Healthy Colon Tissue

Abstract

Aim: LINE-1 DNA methylation is a modifiable epigenetic process linked to colorectal cancer (CRC). However, studies of methylation in the tissue of interest are limited. This research examines associations between CRC risk factors and LINE-1 DNA methylation in healthy colon tissue. Materials & methods: LINE-1 methylation was measured in colon tissue samples from 317 patients undergoing a screening colonoscopy. Associations were examined with established CRC risk factors including alcohol consumption, smoking, BMI, NSAIDs, physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption. Results: All studied risk factors were not related to LINE-1 DNA methylation in this population. Conclusion: The observed results may reflect that the effect of this set of established risk factors is not mediated through LINE-1 DNA methylation in the healthy colon.

Keywords::

• adenoma
• colorectal cancer
• DNA methylation
• fruit and vegetable consumption
• LINE-1
• NSAID

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/epi-2019-0340

Financial & competing interest disclosure

This study was funded by the Canadian Cancer Society (2011–70076) and the Government of Canada Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Master’s Award). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Canadian Cancer Society (201170076) and the Government of Canada Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Master’s Award). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.