A joint PhD project between SCRI and the University of Ulster NICHE centre.

Background

A convincing association exists between the consumption of fruit (including berries) and reduced risk of cancer.  In particular, promotion and progression of cancers of the digestive tract, especially colo-rectal cancer, are associated with a westernised diet of high fat and meat with low fruit and vegetable intake. Although the basis of this association is still unclear, the consensus is that antioxidant phytochemicals in fruit are important.

The project

Antioxidant phytochemicals will be purified from blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry and other berries and characterised by LC-MS and NMR. Compounds found to be stable to simulated gastrointestinal digestion and therefore available in the colon will also be purified. The work will concentrate on the effect of physiological doses of these phytochemicals on in vitro models which address crucial stages of colon carcinogenesis, that is initiation, progression and invasion. For example, effects on the proliferation of human colo-rectal carcinoma cell lines including cell cycle perturbation and apoptosis, protection against DNA damage, invasiveness of cancer cells and maintenance of barrier function will be addressed.

Changes in the metabolic profiles of cancer cells after phytochemical treatment will be monitored using state-of-the-art metabolomic techniques to identify pathways involved and the metabolic fate of the phytochemicals. The expression of relevant genes identified will be monitored using RT-PCR and limited proteomic studies are envisaged once clear biological effects are identified.