Effects of gene polymorphisms of metabolic enzymes on the association between red and processed meat consumption and the development of colon cancer; a literature review

The role of environmental factors and genetic susceptibility in the development of colon cancer (CC) has been already proven, but the role of gene polymorphisms in modifying the risk of environmental factors such as nutritional factors is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effect of polymorphisms of involved genes in the association between red meat consumption and the development of CC. The present review was carried out using keywords such as polymorphism and/or protein and/or red meat and/or processed meat and/or colon cancer. PubMed and Science Direct databases were used to collect all related articles published from 2001 to 2017. The presence of SNP in the coding genes of proteins involved in metabolism of nutrients could play significant roles in the extent of the effects of nutrition in the development of CC. The effect of dietary proteins greatly depends on the polymorphisms in the metabolising genes of these substances. Gene polymorphisms may have a role in colorectal cancer risk, especially in people with high meat intake, and this leads to a difference in the effects of meat consumption in different individuals. To conclude, dietary recommendations for the prevention and control of CC should be modified based on the genotype of different individuals. Increasing our knowledge on this field of nutritional genomics can lead to personalised preventive and therapeutic recommendations for CC patients

Polymorphisms in Genes Coding for Folate-Related Enzymes and Colorectal Cancer

This review examined the association between folate and risk of colorectal cancer and single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 4 genes coding for folate metabolism-related enzymes may be involved. Individuals with single-nucleotide polymorphisms in these key enzymes in the folate pathways may need different amounts of dietary folate to prevent colorectal cancer

The genomic echoes of the last Green Sahara on the Fulani and Sahelian people

: The population history of the Sahara/Sahelian belt is understudied, despite previous work highlighting complex dynamics.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 The Sahelian Fulani, i.e., the largest nomadic pastoral population in the world,8 represent an interesting case because they show a non-negligible proportion of an Eurasian genetic component, usually explained by recent admixture with northern Africans.1,2,5,6,7,9,10,11,12 Nevertheless, their origins are largely unknown, although several hypotheses have been proposed, including a possible link to ancient peoples settled in the Sahara during its last humid phase (Green Sahara, 12,000-5,000 years before present [BP]).13,14,15 To shed light about the Fulani ancient genetic roots, we produced 23 high-coverage (30×) whole genomes from Fulani individuals from 8 Sahelian countries, plus 17 samples from other African groups and 3 from Europeans as controls, for a total of 43 new whole genomes. These data have been compared with 814 published modern whole genomes2,16,17,18 and with relevant published ancient sequences (> 1,800 samples).19 These analyses showed some evidence that the non-sub-Saharan genetic ancestry component of the Fulani might have also been shaped by older events,1,5,6 possibly tracing the Fulani origins to unsampled ancient Green Saharan population(s). The joint analysis of modern and ancient samples allowed us to shed light on the genetic ancestry composition of such ancient Saharans, suggesting a similarity with Late Neolithic Moroccans and possibly pointing to a link with the spread of cattle herding. We also identified two different Fulani clusters whose admixture pattern may be informative about the historical Fulani movements and their later involvement in the western African empires