Untangling the role of one-carbon metabolism in colorectal cancer risk: a comprehensive Bayesian network analysis

Sci Rep. 2017 Feb 24:7:43434. doi: 10.1038/srep43434.

Abstract

The role of one-carbon metabolism (1CM), particularly folate, in colorectal cancer (CRC) development has been extensively studied, but with inconclusive results. Given the complexity of 1CM, the conventional approach, investigating components individually, may be insufficient. We used a machine learning-based Bayesian network approach to study, simultaneously, 14 circulating one-carbon metabolites, 17 related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and several environmental factors in relation to CRC risk in 613 cases and 1190 controls from the prospective Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study. The estimated networks corresponded largely to known biochemical relationships. Plasma concentrations of folate (direct), vitamin B6 (pyridoxal 5-phosphate) (inverse), and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) (inverse) had the strongest independent associations with CRC risk. Our study demonstrates the importance of incorporating B-vitamins in future studies of 1CM and CRC development, and the usefulness of Bayesian network learning for investigating complex biological systems in relation to disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bayes Theorem
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Carbon / metabolism
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / blood
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Female
  • Folic Acid / blood*
  • Humans
  • Machine Learning
  • Male
  • Metabolome
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Proteins / blood*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Riboflavin / blood*
  • Risk Factors
  • Vitamin B 6 / blood*

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Carbon
  • Vitamin B 6
  • Folic Acid
  • Riboflavin