"DNA methylation in development and d... - Advanced Prostate...

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"DNA methylation in development and disease: an overview for prostate researchers"

pjoshea13 profile image
12 Replies

New paper [1] that discusses PCa hypermethylation & (reversible) epigenetic changes. I have been interested for a dozen years, after vitamin B12 injections caused PSA to rise. But researchers seem slow to pursue this.

Most will want to skip the full text. But here is a snippet that touches on diet:

"DNA methyltransferase co-factor S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) is the source of methyl groups for DNA methylation. Following removal of the methyl group, SAM is converted to S- adenosyl homocysteine (SAH) and homocyste- ine. Homocysteine re-methylation to replenish pools of SAM requires several methyl group donors like methyl-folate, methionine and betaine. Availability of methyl donors in the diet can in uence DNA methylation. ...

"Dietary folate is a well-studied methyl donor. Folates are water soluble vitamins that partici- pate in one-carbon transfer, DNA synthesis, cell growth, hematopoiesis and metabolism. While folates occur naturally in the diet, folic acid is the synthetic form that is supplemented in forti- ed food stuffs or consumed as dietary supple- ments. Folates and folic acid are converted to 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate which provides meth- yl groups for the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. Methionine is converted to SAM, the methyl donor for DNA methylation reactions. Adequate consumption of folates is required to maintain SAM pools.

"In 1998, the United States mandated folic acid forti cation in cereal grains. Folic acid forti ca- tion has raised serum folate levels in popula- tions of several age groups, most signi cantly in children and older populations [166, 167]. In addition to participating in methylation, folates are important players in nucleotide biosynthe- sis and polyamine synthesis. The complex role of folates in the body could yield protective or deleterious effects depending on the context. High gestational folic acid has been shown to have adverse effects on offspring in rodent studies [168, 169]. Multiple clinical trials have associated folic acid supplement consumption with increased risk of prostate cancer [170- 172]. Moreover, studies in the TRAMP prostate cancer mouse model have shown that dietary folic acid deficiency can suppress tumor growth [173]. However, a few meta-analysis studies using combined data across multiple randomized trials have failed to identify an association between folic acid supplementation and prostate cancer risk [174, 175]."

"Despite contradictory data, the prevalence of folic acid supplement consumption warrants further research into the interaction between folic acid supplementation and prostate disease. Maternal supplementation, food grain forti cation and consumption of multi-vitamin supplements have resulted in populations that have been exposed to high levels of folic acid throughout their lifetime."

...

"DNA methylation is at the con uence of the genome and environment."

...

"We hope that this review can be used as an introduction to the eld by prostate researchers interested in studying DNA methylation."

-Patrick

[1] ajceu.us/files/ajceu0087776...

Abstract: Epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation are critical regulators of organismal development and tissue homeostasis. DNA methylation is the transfer of methyl groups to cytosines, which adds an additional layer of complexity to the genome. DNA methylation marks are recognized by the cellular machinery to regulate tran- scription. Disruption of DNA methylation with aging or exposure to environmental toxins can change susceptibility to disease or trigger processes that lead to disease. In this review, we provide an overview of the DNA methylation machinery. More speci cally, we describe DNA methylation in the context of prostate development, prostate cancer, and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) as well as the impact of dietary and environmental factors on DNA methylation in the prostate.

... click on link for full text ...

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ITCandy profile image
ITCandy

So along with not over consuming B12, we should also be watching ingredient labels for added folic acid to make sure we're not over consuming it as well.

Do you feel the addition of folic acid supplementation may be partly responsible for the enormous amount of Pca cases diagnosed in the last decade?

Very informative post.

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13 in reply to ITCandy

I think that folate deficiency in the U.S. population before grain fortification was much lower than in some countries. Anyone taking a multivitamin would get folic acid. Incidentally, I don't believe that any of the products lowered the dose when fortification occurred.

Fortification tends to unmask cancer in deficient populations. We might see a slight PCa increase in 1998 U.S. numbers, but looking at stats from the countries that followed the U.S. lead might be more revealing.

"Folic acid is added to grain products in more than 80 countries"

"In the U.S., the fortification program was expected to raise a person’s folic acid intake level by 70–130 µg/day; however, an increase of almost double that amount was actually observed.[81] This could be from the fact that many foods are over-fortified by 160–175% over the required amount.[81] Much of the elder population take supplements that add 400 µg to their daily folic acid intake. This is a concern because 70–80% of the population have detectable levels of unmetabolized folic acid in their blood, a consequence of folic acid supplementation and fortification, and high intakes are thought to accelerate the growth of preneoplastic lesions."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folate

-Patrick

cujoe profile image
cujoe

This might help the non-research minded readers to understand better the role of folate and it's relationship with Vit B-12.

Vitamin B12 And Folic Acid

b12-vitamin.com/folic-acid/

Curiously (at least to me), it seem that since folate coverts Homocysteine (responsible for arterial inflammation) to Methionine (shown to be a key metobolic driver of some cancers, incl. PCa), we may be trading one contributor to cancer for another??

Homocysteine

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homoc...

Starving Cancer with Methionine Restriction (please excuse Dr. Greger's use of puns in this video)

nutritionfacts.org/video/st...

Just wondering out loud??? Be Well - cujoe

PS Dr. Greger also reveals that folic acid does not = folate (diet wins again) - and that our livers are also not = to rat livers.

nutritionfacts.org/video/ca...

ITCandy profile image
ITCandy

Are you suggesting that neither should be supplemented but obtaining Methyl Folate from foods does a body good?

tom67inMA profile image
tom67inMA

Do any of those papers mention MTHFR gene defects? I have one and it interferes with the ability to methylise folate. I've been taking methyl folate supplements off and on for years, way before my cancer diagnosis.

CalBear74 profile image
CalBear74

In light of your comment Patrick on B12 injections, I noted in Keith Block's book ("Life Over Cancer") on integrative cancer care (he is medical director of the Block Center Program for Integrative Cancer Treatment) he cautions cancer patients on avoiding high doses of B12 as cancer cells typically evidence an affinity for B12. I take a minimal (i.e., daily recommended) dose; I must as a vegan. Dr. Block believes a daily high-quality multivitamin can "plug" the holes in the nutrient spectrum left even though a patient is assiduously taking a number of helpful natural supplements (he offers a list of basic supplements that help fight cancer).

tom67inMA profile image
tom67inMA

Thanks! I'm heterogeneous, one good gene, one bad gene, so I can methylate with a 50% success rate :-)

estoud profile image
estoud

I remember some time ago you mentioned that niacin could reduce methylation. Please

elaborate.

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13 in reply to estoud

I don't recall niacin as a demethylation agent.

Genistein has the most research for PCa cells:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?te...

Curcumin has some too.

-Patrick

Captain_Dave profile image
Captain_Dave in reply to pjoshea13

Dr. Lynch is an N.D. who specializes in treating the MTHFR polymorphism. At his website he talks about taking methylfolate and if you take too much, you can have overmethylation symptoms. He suggests taking niacin to counteract this. Below is a link and part of his article:

There are other steps that must be taken prior to supplementing with methylfolate if these side effects occur.

If side effects occur, taking Niacin helps bind the excessive methyl groups which are likely causing the issue. Consider taking 100 mg or 1/5th tablet of Niacin if these symptoms occur. It is a good idea to have a bottle of Niacin on hand in case these symptoms occur from taking too much methylfolate. Be sure to swallow the 1/5th tablet of niacin – not chew or place sublingually.

Link: mthfr.net/mthfr-c677t-mutat...

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13 in reply to Captain_Dave

Thanks.

In the context of PCa hypermethylation - particularly methylation of the promoter regions for tumor suppressor genes - I don't know if niacin would be useful. Certainly, no PCa cell studies.

Prolonged exposure to niacin can cause liver toxicity. This was a problem in some who used it to lower cholesterol.

-Patrick

sammamish profile image
sammamish

Retinoic Acid anyone?

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