IKK beta may connect inflammation and GI cancer

Work in a murine model of colitis-associated cancer indicates that the IKK beta gene is a link between inflammation and tumorigenesis, researchers report in the August 6th issue of Cell.

As lead investigator Dr. Florien R. Greten told Reuters Health, ‘the study provides us with a better insight into the complex molecular processes that are responsible for the development of cancer after chronic inflammation.’Dr. Greten, of the University of California, San Diego, found that when the cancer-inducing inflammatory process was used in mice lacking IKK beta in their intestinal epithelial cells, there was a ‘dramatic’ decrease of 75% in tumor incidence. However, there were no significant differences from controls in other factors including tumor size.Moreover, a similar approach in mice lacking IKK beta in myeloid cells led to a significant decrease in tumor size. This deletion, the investigators point out, ‘diminishes expression of proinflammatory cytokines that may serve as tumor growth factors.’Dr. Greten concluded that ‘by identifying IKK beta as a molecular link between inflammation and cancer and discovering how it is acting in different cell types during inflammation,’ the findings ‘might allow us to establish new and more effective strategies to treat inflammation and prevent the development of colitis-associated cancer.'(Source: Cell 2004;163:36-42: Reuters Health News: David Douglas: Oncolink: August 2004)