Abstract
BackgroundFew studies have examined the association of choline and betaine intake with colorectal cancer risk, although they might play an important role in colorectal cancer development because of their role as methyl donors. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between consumption of choline and betaine and colorectal cancer risk in a Chinese population.Methodology/Principal FindingsA case-control study was conducted between July 2010 and December 2013 in Guangzhou, China. Eight hundred and ninety consecutively recruited colorectal cancer cases were frequency matched to 890 controls by age (5-year interval) and sex. Dietary information was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire by face-to-face interviews. The logistic regression model was used to estimate multivariate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Total choline intake was inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk after adjustment for various lifestyle and dietary factors. The multivariate-adjusted OR was 0.54 (95%CI = 0.37-0.80, Ptrend <0.01) comparing the highest with the lowest quartile. No significant associations were observed for betaine or total choline+betaine intakes. For choline-containing compounds, lower colorectal cancer risk was associated with higher intakes of choline from phosphatidylcholine, glycerophosphocholine and sphingomyelin but not for free choline and phosphocholine. The inverse association of total choline intake with colorectal cancer risk was observed in both men and women, colon and rectal cancer. These inverse associations were not modified by folate intake.ConclusionsThese results indicate that high intake of total choline is associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
Highlights
Choline and betaine are widely distributed in plant and animal tissues
Betaine and Colorectal Cancer Risk. These results indicate that high intake of total choline is associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer
This study found no significant association between choline and betaine intake and colorectal cancer risk in men
Summary
Choline and betaine are widely distributed in plant and animal tissues. Main food sources of choline are eggs, beef liver, chicken liver, wheat germ, bacon, dried soybeans and pork [1]. Choline is oxidized to betaine, which can donate a methyl group to homocysteine to form methionine [3]. Methionine is a precursor to S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-an important methyl donor in human body. Disruption of DNA methylation and impaired DNA repair due to deficiency of methyl donors (folate, choline, betaine and methionine) in one-carbon metabolism are thought to be the main underlying mechanism for carcinogenesis [6]. Few studies have examined the association of choline and betaine intake with colorectal cancer risk, they might play an important role in colorectal cancer development because of their role as methyl donors. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between consumption of choline and betaine and colorectal cancer risk in a Chinese population
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