Skip to content
Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter September 21, 2011

The potential cocarcinogenic effect of vitamin B12 deficiency

  • Simonetta Friso and Sang-Woon Choi

Abstract

Since vitamin B12 serves as a cofactor in the synthesis of methyl precursors for biological methylation and enables methylfolate to be recycled for nucleotide synthesis, B12 deficiency has been known to induce hyperhomocysteinemia and inadequate DNA synthesis, along with “methylfolate trap”. Even though depletion of B12, a common B-vitamin deficiency in the elderly, has not often been invoked as a causative factor in carcinogenesis, a recent animal study demonstrated that a B12-deficient diet, which was of insufficient severity to cause anemia or illness, disturbed normal homeostasis of one-carbon metabolism in the colonic mucosa and resulted in diminished genomic DNA methylation and increased uracil misincorporation in DNA, both of which are purported mechanisms for one-carbon metabolism-related colonic carcinogenesis.


Corresponding author: Simonetta Friso, MD, PhD, University of Verona School of Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico “G.B. Rossi”, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy Phone: +39-045-8076490, Fax: +39-045-580111,

References

1. Baik HW, Russell RM. Vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly. Annu Rev Nutr 1999; 19:357–77.10.1146/annurev.nutr.19.1.357Search in Google Scholar

2. King CE, Leibach J, Toskes PP. Clinically significant vitamin B12 deficiency secondary to malabsorption of protein-bound vitamin B12. Dig Dis Sci 1979; 24:397–402.10.1007/BF01297127Search in Google Scholar

3. Suter PM, Golner BB, Goldin BR, Morrow FD, Russell RM. Reversal of protein-bound vitamin B12 malabsorption with antibiotics in atrophic gastritis. Gastroenterology 1991; 101:1039–45.10.1016/0016-5085(91)90731-YSearch in Google Scholar

4. Russell RM, Baik H, Kehayias JJ. Older men and women efficiently absorb vitamin B-12 from milk and fortified bread. J Nutr 2001; 131:291–3.10.1093/jn/131.2.291Search in Google Scholar

5. Choi SW, Friso S, Ghandour H, Bagley PJ, Selhub J, Mason JB. Vitamin B-12 deficiency induces anomalies of base substitution and methylation in the DNA of rat colonic epithelium. J Nutr 2004; 134:750–5.10.1093/jn/134.4.750Search in Google Scholar

6. Refsum H, Grindflek AW, Ueland PM, Fredriksen A, Meyer K, Ulvik A, et al. Screening for serum total homocysteine in newborn children. Clin Chem 2004; 50:1769–84.10.1373/clinchem.2004.036194Search in Google Scholar

7. Herrmann W, Obeid R, Schorr H, Geisel J. Functional vitamin B12 deficiency and determination of holotranscobalamin in populations at risk. Clin Chem Lab Med 2003; 41:1478–88.10.1515/CCLM.2003.227Search in Google Scholar

8. Herrmann W, Obeid R, Schorr H, Geisel J. The usefulness of holotranscobalamin in predicting vitamin B12 status in different clinical settings. Curr Drug Metab 2005; 6:47–53.10.2174/1389200052997384Search in Google Scholar

9. Clarke R, Refsum H, Birks J, Evans JG, Johnston C, Sherliker P. Screening for vitamin B12 and folate deficiency in older persons. Am J Clin Nutr 2003; 77:1241–7.10.1093/ajcn/77.5.1241Search in Google Scholar

10. Kenzie RE. Biogenesis and interconversion of substituted tetrahydrofolates. In: Blakley RL, Benkovic SJ, editors. Folate and pterins, vol 1. New York: Wiley, 1984:255–306.Search in Google Scholar

11. Shane B. Folylpolyglutamate synthesis and role in the regulation of one-carbon metabolism. Vitam Horm 1989; 45:263–335.10.1016/S0083-6729(08)60397-0Search in Google Scholar

12. Shane B. Folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6. In: Stipanuk MH, editor. Biochemical and physiological aspects of human nutrition. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 2000:483–518.Search in Google Scholar

13. Choi SW, Mason JB. Folate and carcinogenesis: an integrated scheme. J Nutr 2000; 130:129–32.10.1093/jn/130.2.129Search in Google Scholar PubMed

14. Choi SW, Mason JB. Folate status: effects on pathways of colorectal carcinogenesis. J Nutr 2002; 132(Suppl);2413S–8S.10.1093/jn/132.8.2413SSearch in Google Scholar PubMed

15. Lucock M. Folic acid: nutritional biochemistry, molecular biology, and role in disease processes. Mol Genet Metab 2000; 71:121–38.10.1006/mgme.2000.3027Search in Google Scholar PubMed

16. Herbert V, Das KC. Folic acid and vitamin B12. In: Shils ME, Olson JA, Shike M, editors. Modern nutrition in health and disease, vol 1. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1994:402–25.Search in Google Scholar

17. Shane B, Stokstad ELR. Vitamin B12-folate interrelationship. Annu Rev Nutr 1985; 5:115–41.10.1146/annurev.nu.05.070185.000555Search in Google Scholar PubMed

18. Wickramasinghe SN, Fida S. Bone marrow cells from vitamin B12- and folate-deficient patients misincorporate uracil into DNA. Blood 1994; 83:1656–61.10.1182/blood.V83.6.1656.1656Search in Google Scholar

19. Wickramasinghe SN, Fida S. Misincorporation of uracil into the DNA of folate- and B12-deficient HL60 cells. Eur J Haematol 1993; 50:127–32.Search in Google Scholar

20. Piyathilake CJ, Johanning GL, Macaluso M, Whiteside M, Oelschlager DK, Heimburger DC, et al. Localized folate and vitamin B-12 deficiency in squamous cell lung cancer is associated with global DNA hypomethylation. Nutr Cancer 2000; 37:99–107.10.1207/S15327914NC3701_13Search in Google Scholar PubMed

21. Friso S, Choi SW, Dolnikowski GG, Selhub J. A method to assess genomic DNA methylation using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 2002; 74:4526–31.10.1021/ac020050hSearch in Google Scholar PubMed

22. Blount BC, Ames BN. Analysis of uracil in DNA by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Anal Biochem 1994; 219:195–200.10.1006/abio.1994.1257Search in Google Scholar PubMed

23. Wu K, Helzlsouer KJ, Comstock GW, Hoffman SC, Nadeau MR, Selhub J. A prospective study on folate, B12, and pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (B6) and breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1999; 8:209–17.Search in Google Scholar

24. Choi SW. Vitamin B12 deficiency: a new risk factor for breast cancer? Nutr Rev 1999; 57:250–3.10.1111/j.1753-4887.1999.tb06952.xSearch in Google Scholar PubMed

25. Zhang SM, Willett WC, Selhub J, Hunter DJ, Giovannucci EL, Holmes MD, et al. Plasma folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, homocysteine, and risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2003; 95:373–80.10.1093/jnci/95.5.373Search in Google Scholar PubMed

26. Talley NJ, Chute CG, Larson DE, Epstein R, Lydick EG, Melton LJ III. Risk for colorectal adenocarcinoma in pernicious anemia. A population-based cohort study. Ann Intern Med 1989; 111:738–42.10.7326/0003-4819-111-9-738Search in Google Scholar

27. Toh BH, van Driel IR, Gleeson PA. Pernicious anemia. N Engl J Med 1997; 337:1441–8.10.1056/NEJM199711133372007Search in Google Scholar

28. Hsing AW, Hansson LE, McLaughlin JK, Nyren O, Blot WJ, Ekbom A, et al. Pernicious anemia and subsequent cancer. A population-based cohort study. Cancer 1993; 71:745–50.10.1002/1097-0142(19930201)71:3<745::AID-CNCR2820710316>3.0.CO;2-1Search in Google Scholar

29. Harnack L, Jacobs DR Jr, Nicodemus K, Lazovich D, Anderson K, Folsom AR. Relationship of folate, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and methionine intake to incidence of colorectal cancers. Nutr Cancer 2002; 43:152–8.10.1207/S15327914NC432_5Search in Google Scholar

30. Almadori G, Bussu F, Galli J, Cadoni G, Zappacosta B, Persichilli S, et al. Serum levels of folate, homocysteine, and vitamin B12 in head and neck squamous cellcarcinoma and in laryngeal leukoplakia. Cancer 2005; 103:284–92.10.1002/cncr.20772Search in Google Scholar

31. Weinstein SJ, Hartman TJ, Stolzenberg-Solomon R, Pietinen P, Barrett MJ, Taylor PR, et al. Null association between prostate cancer and serum folate, vitamin B(6), vitamin B(12), and homocysteine. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2003; 12:1271–2.Search in Google Scholar

32. Hultdin J, Van Guelpen B, Bergh A, Hallmans G, Stattin P. Plasma folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine and prostate cancer risk: a prospective study. Int J Cancer 2005; 113:819–24.10.1002/ijc.20646Search in Google Scholar

33. Costello JF, Plass C. Methylation matters. J Med Genet 2001; 38:285–303.10.1136/jmg.38.5.285Search in Google Scholar

34. Bestor TH, Tycko B. Creation of genomic methylation patterns. Nat Genet 1996; 12:363–7.10.1038/ng0496-363Search in Google Scholar

35. Robertson KD, Jones PA. DNA methylation: past, present and future directions. Carcinogenesis 2000; 21:461–7.10.1093/carcin/21.3.461Search in Google Scholar

36. Friso S, Choi SW. Gene-nutrient interactions and DNA methylation. J Nutr 2002; 132:2382S–7S.10.1093/jn/132.8.2382SSearch in Google Scholar

37. Pogribny IP, Basnakian AG, Miller BJ, Lopatina NG, Poirier LA, James SJ. Breaks in genomic DNA and within the p53 gene are associated with hypomethylation in livers of folate/methyl-deficient rats. Cancer Res 1995; 55:1894–901.Search in Google Scholar

38. O'Neill RJ, O'Neill MJ, Graves JA. Undermethylation associated with retroelement activation and chromosome remodeling in an interspecific mammalian hybrid. Nature 1998; 393:68–72.10.1038/29985Search in Google Scholar

39. Kim YI. Folate and carcinogenesis: evidence, mechanisms, and implications. J Nutr Biochem 1999; 10:66–88.10.1016/S0955-2863(98)00074-6Search in Google Scholar

40. Das PM, Singal R. DNA methylation and cancer. J Clin Oncol 2004; 22:4632–42.10.1200/JCO.2004.07.151Search in Google Scholar

41. Counts JL, Goodman JI. Hypomethylation of DNA: an epigenetic mechanism involved in tumor promotion. Mol Carcinog 1994; 11:185–8.10.1002/mc.2940110402Search in Google Scholar

42. Gaudet F, Hodgson JG, Eden A, Jackson-Grusby L, Dausman J, Gray JW, et al. Induction of tumors in mice by genomic hypomethylation. Science 2003; 300:489–92.10.1126/science.1083558Search in Google Scholar

43. Wainfan E, Dizik M, Stender M, Christman JK. Rapid appearance of hypomethylated DNA in livers of rats fed cancer-promoting, methyl-deficient diets. Cancer Res 1989; 49:4094–7.Search in Google Scholar

44. Carr BI, Reilly JG, Smith SS, Winberg C, Riggs A. The tumorigenicity of 5-azacytidine in the male Fischer rat. Carcinogenesis 1984; 5:1583–90.10.1093/carcin/5.12.1583Search in Google Scholar

45. Kim YI, Pogribny IP, Basnakian AG, Miller JW, Selhub J, James SJ, et al. Folate deficiency in rats induces DNA strand breaks and hypomethylation within the p53 tumor suppressor gene. Am J Clin Nutr 1997; 65:46–52.10.1093/ajcn/65.1.46Search in Google Scholar

46. Pogribny IP, Miller BJ, James SJ. Alterations in hepatic p53 gene methylation patterns during tumor progression with folate/methyl deficiency in the rat. Cancer Lett 1997; 115:31–8.10.1016/S0304-3835(97)04708-3Search in Google Scholar

47. Herman JG, Merlo A, Mao L, Lapidus RG, Issa JP, Davidson NE, et al. Inactivation of the CDKN2/p16/MTS1 gene is frequently associated with aberrant DNA methylation in all common human cancers. Cancer Res 1995; 55:4525–30.Search in Google Scholar

48. Schroeder M, Mass MJ. CpG methylation inactivates the transcriptional activity of the promoter of the human p53 tumor suppressor gene. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1997; 235:403–6.10.1006/bbrc.1997.6796Search in Google Scholar

49. Hiltunen MO, Alhonen L, Koistinaho J, Myohanen S, Paakkonen M, Marin S, et al. Hypermethylation of the APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) gene promoter region in human colorectal carcinoma. Int J Cancer 1997; 70:644–8.10.1002/(SICI)1097-0215(19970317)70:6<644::AID-IJC3>3.0.CO;2-VSearch in Google Scholar

50. Antequera F, Bird A. Number of CpG islands and genes in human and mouse. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1993; 90:11995–9.10.1073/pnas.90.24.11995Search in Google Scholar

51. Cedar H. DNA methylation and gene activity. Cell 1988; 53:3–4.10.1016/0092-8674(88)90479-5Search in Google Scholar

52. Stein R, Razin A, Cedar H. In vitro methylation of the hamster adenine phosphoribosyltransferase gene inhibits its expression in mouse L cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1982; 79:3418–22.10.1073/pnas.79.11.3418Search in Google Scholar

53. Chen ZJ, Pikaard CS. Epigenetic silencing of RNA polymerase I transcription: a role for DNA methylation and histone modification in nucleolar dominance. Genes Dev 1997; 11:2124–36.10.1101/gad.11.16.2124Search in Google Scholar

54. Li E, Bestor TH, Jaenisch R. Targeted mutation of the DNA methyltransferase gene results in embryonic lethality. Cell 1992; 69:915–26.10.1016/0092-8674(92)90611-FSearch in Google Scholar

55. Jones PL, Veenstra GJ, Wade PA, Vermaak D, Kass SU, Landsberger N, et al. Methylated DNA and MeCP2 recruit histone deacetylase to repress transcription. Nat Genet 1998; 19:187–91.10.1038/561Search in Google Scholar

56. Nan X, Ng HH, Johnson CA, Laherty CD, Turner BM, Eisenman RN, et al. Transcriptional repression by the methyl-CpG-binding protein MeCP2 involves a histone deacetylase complex. Nature 1998; 393:386–9.10.1038/30764Search in Google Scholar

57. Santini V, Kantarjian HM, Issa JP. Changes in DNA methylation in neoplasia: pathophysiology and therapeutic implications. Ann Intern Med 2001; 134:573–86.10.7326/0003-4819-134-7-200104030-00011Search in Google Scholar

58. Tazi J, Bird A. Alternative chromatin structure at CpG islands. Cell 1990; 60:909–20.10.1016/0092-8674(90)90339-GSearch in Google Scholar

59. Tsujiuchi T, Tsutsumi M, Sasaki Y, Takahama M, Konishi Y. Hypomethylation of CpG sites and c-myc gene over-expression in hepatocellular carcinomas, but not hyperplastic nodules, induced by a choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined diet in rats. Jpn J Cancer Res 1999; 90:909–13.10.1111/j.1349-7006.1999.tb00834.xSearch in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

60. Jhaveri MS, Wagner C, Trepel JB. Impact of extracellular folate levels on global gene expression. Mol Pharmacol 2001; 60:1288–95.10.1124/mol.60.6.1288Search in Google Scholar

61. James SJ, Basnakian AG, Miller BJ. In vitro folate deficiency induces deoxynucleotide pool imbalance, apoptosis, and mutagenesis in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Cancer Res 1994; 54:5075–80.Search in Google Scholar

62. Kasahara Y, Nakai Y, Miura D, Kanatani H, Yagi K, Hirabayashi K, et al. Decrease in deoxyribonucleotide triphosphate pools and induction of alkaline-labile sites in mouse bone marrow cells by multiple treatments with methotrexate. Mutat Res 1993; 319:143–9.10.1016/0165-1218(93)90073-MSearch in Google Scholar

63. Cunningham C, Dunlop MG. Molecular genetic basis of colorectal cancer susceptibility. Br J Surg 1996; 83:321–9.10.1002/bjs.1800830309Search in Google Scholar

64. Choi SW, Friso S, Dolnikowski GG, Bagley PJ, Edmondson AN, Nadeau MR, et al. Biochemical and molecular indications that the elder rat colon is particularly susceptible to folate depletion J Nutr 2003; 133:1206–12.10.1093/jn/133.4.1206Search in Google Scholar

65. Blount BC, Mack MM, Wehr CM, MacGregor JT, Hiatt RA, Wang G, et al. Folate deficiency causes uracil misincorporation into human DNA and chromosome breakage: implications for cancer and neuronal damage. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1997; 94:3290–5.10.1073/pnas.94.7.3290Search in Google Scholar

66. Fenech M, Aitken C, Rinaldi J. Folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine status and DNA damage in young Australian adults. Carcinogenesis 1998; 19:1163–71.10.1093/carcin/19.7.1163Search in Google Scholar

67. Dianov GL, Timchenko TV, Sinitsina OI, Kuzminov AV, Medvedev OA, Salganik RI. Repair of uracil residues closely spaced on the opposite strands of plasmid DNA results in double-strand break and deletion formation. Mol Gen Genet 1991; 225:448–52.10.1007/BF00261686Search in Google Scholar

68. Reidy JA. Folate- and deoxyuridine-sensitive chromatid breakage may result from DNA repair during G2. Mutat Res 1987; 192:217–9.10.1016/0165-7992(87)90059-5Search in Google Scholar

69. Reidy JA. Role of deoxyuridine incorporation and DNA repair in the expression of human chromosomal fragile sites. Mutat Res 1988; 200:215–20.10.1016/0027-5107(88)90085-1Search in Google Scholar

70. Fenech M. The role of folic acid and vitamin B12 in genomic stability of human cells. Mutat Res 2001; 475:57–67.10.1016/S0027-5107(01)00079-3Search in Google Scholar

71. Moynahan ME, Jasin M. Loss of heterozygosity induced by a chromosomal double-strand break. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1997; 94:8988–93.10.1073/pnas.94.17.8988Search in Google Scholar

72. Blount BC, Ames BN. DNA damage in folate deficiency. Baillieres Clin Haematol 1995; 8:461–78.10.1016/S0950-3536(05)80216-1Search in Google Scholar

Published Online: 2011-9-21
Published in Print: 2005-10-1

©2005 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York

Downloaded on 22.5.2024 from https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/CCLM.2005.201/html
Scroll to top button