Editorial
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 21, 2010; 16(15): 1820-1827
Published online Apr 21, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i15.1820
Modifier-concept of colorectal carcinogenesis: Lipidomics as a technical tool in pathway analysis
Nikolaus Gassler, Christina Klaus, Elke Kaemmerer, Andrea Reinartz
Nikolaus Gassler, Christina Klaus, Andrea Reinartz, Institute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Elke Kaemmerer, Department of Pediatrics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Andrea Reinartz, School of Biology, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to this work and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to: Nikolaus Gassler, MA, Professor, Institute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany. ngassler@ukaachen.de
Telephone: +49-241-8088897 Fax: +49-241-8082439
Received: December 21, 2009
Revised: January 25, 2010
Accepted: February 2, 2010
Published online: April 21, 2010
Abstract

In the modifier concept of intestinal carcinogenesis, lipids have been established as important variables and one focus is given to long-chain fatty acids. Increased consumption of long-chain fatty acids is in discussion to modify the development of colorectal carcinoma in humans. Saturated long-chain fatty acids, in particular, are assumed to promote carcinogenesis, whereas polyunsaturated forms are likely to act in the opposite way. At present, the molecular mechanisms behind these effects are not well understood. Recently, it has been demonstrated by lipidomics and associated molecular techniques, that activation and metabolic channeling of long-chain fatty acids are important mechanisms to modify colorectal carcinogenesis. In this Editorial, an overview about the present concept of long-chain fatty acids and its derivatives in colorectal carcinogenesis as well as technical algorithms in lipid analysis is given.

Keywords: Colorectal neoplasms; Carcinogenesis; Long-chain fatty acids; Acyl-CoA; Lipidomics