Abstract
The Kashmiri population is culturally distinct with special dietary features owing to the temperate climatic conditions of Kashmir valley. This has habituated the population to preserve food in smoked, pickled and sundried forms which include considerable amounts of N-nitroso compounds (NOCs). These are known to cause cytotoxicity, DNA damage, mutation, unscheduled DNA synthesis and DNA methylation. All of these changes at molecular level are known to contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer. One of the prominent NOCs found in Kashmiri food is N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Here we review the occurrence of NDMA in sundried foods, dried fish, kehwa, traditional pickle, Brassica oleracia and tobbaco. We also discuss its possible role in the high prevalence of gastrointestinal cancers in Kashmir.
Highlights
Nitroso compounds (NOCs) have been classified as potent human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC 2010)
It is commonly inferred that nitrosamines are related to cancer induction through the formation of mutagenic DNA methyl adducts in important genes involved in carcinogenesis (Goto et al, 1999)
To validate the role NDMA in the etiology of gastrointestinal cancers in Kashmir valley a high throughput Genome wide association studies (GWAS) would give a better understanding to the molecular mechanisms contributing to gastric cancers
Summary
Nitroso compounds (NOCs) have been classified as potent human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC 2010). Human exposure to NOCs occurs almost entirely through food and endogenous nitrosation (A process of converting organic compounds into nitroso derivatives) of its precursors in the gastrointestinal tract (Tricker 1997) following absorption into the bloodstream. NDMA the simplest and most widely occurring nitrosamine, is reported to be acute hepatotoxic and potentially carcinogenic in various animal species including humans (Lai et al, 1980; Robbiano et al, 1996; IARC 1998). It is commonly inferred that nitrosamines are related to cancer induction through the formation of mutagenic DNA methyl adducts in important genes involved in carcinogenesis (Goto et al, 1999). O6-Methylguanine (O6-meG), for instance, has been detected in the DNA of esophageal tissues collected from people living in an area of China where the risk of esophageal cancer is considerably high (Huh et al, 1985)
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