A recent genome-wide interaction study sheds light on how gene variants may modify the relationship between dietary habits and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC).
Methodology:
Researchers conducted a nested case-control study using data from 4,686 CRC patients and 14,058 matched controls from the UK Biobank cohort.
A genome-wide analysis was performed to explore interactions between 11 dietary factors and over four million genetic variants.
Gene-based and gene-set enrichment analyses were utilized to pinpoint genes and pathways associated with the interaction between diet factors and CRC risk.
Key Findings:
The study revealed that the consumption of red meat, processed meat, and alcohol correlated with an elevated risk of CRC, while consuming four or more servings of fruit daily was associated with a reduced risk.
Although no single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) reached genome-wide significance, 324 SNPs were identified with suggestive interactions with various dietary factors related to CRC risk.
Gene-based analysis highlighted that gene-fish consumption interaction effects tended to concentrate within the EPDR1 gene.
Gene-set enrichment analysis identified specific sets of protein-encoding genes that interacted with the consumption of milk (ART), cheese (OR), tea (KRT), and alcohol (PRM and TNP genes), potentially influencing CRC development.