Microbiota revolution: How gut microbes regulate our lives

Figure 3 The inhibitory properties of butyrate on tumorigenesis through various mechanisms by the colonic microbiota. Many of the metabolites of protein fermentation can be taken up by other microorganisms and synthesized into active carcinogens. For example, amines and nitrates can be used by facultatively anaerobic and anaerobic colonic bacteria and catalysed the formation of N-nitrosamines, which are among the strongest procarcinogens. Reduced levels of butyrate in the body are not only an indication of the possibility of cancer, but also indicate the severity of the cancer and its course in the body.