Published online Jan 28, 2017. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i4.603
Peer-review started: September 12, 2016
First decision: November 9, 2016
Revised: November 19, 2016
Accepted: December 8, 2016
Article in press: December 8, 2016
Published online: January 28, 2017
Processing time: 129 Days and 13.7 Hours
To evaluate the impact of recombinant Bacteroides fragilis enterotoxin-2 (BFT-2, or Fragilysin) on colorectal tumorigenesis in mice induced by azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS).
Recombinant proBFT-2 was expressed in Escherichia coli strain Rosetta (DE3) and BFT-2 was obtained and tested for its biological activity via colorectal adenocarcinoma cell strains SW-480. Seventy C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a blank (BC; n = 10), model (AD; n = 20), model + low-dose toxin (ADLT; n = 20, 10 μg), and a model + high-dose toxin (ADHT; n = 20, 20 μg) group. Mice weight, tumor formation and pathology were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry determined Ki-67 and Caspase-3 expression in normal and tumor tissues of colorectal mucosa.
Recombinant BFT-2 was successfully obtained, along with its biological activity. The most obvious weight loss occurred in the AD group compared with the ADLT group (21.82 ± 0.68 vs 23.23 ± 0.91, P < 0.05) and the ADHT group (21.82 ± 0.68 vs 23.57 ± 1.06, P < 0.05). More tumors were found in the AD group than in the ADLT and ADHT groups (19.75 ± 3.30 vs 6.50 ± 1.73, P < 0.05; 19.75 ± 3.30 vs 6.00 ± 2.16, P < 0.05). Pathology showed that 12 mice had adenocarcinoma and 6 cases had adenoma in the AD group. Five mice had adenocarcinoma and 15 had adenoma in the ADLT group. Four mice had adenocarcinoma and 16 had adenoma in the ADHT group. The incidence of colorectal adenocarcinoma in both the ADHT group and the ADHT group was reduced compared to that in the AD group (P < 0.05, P < 0.05). The positive rate of Ki-67 in the ADLT group and the ADHT group was 50% and 40%, respectively, both of which were lower than that found in the AD group (94.44%, P < 0.05, P < 0.05). Caspase-3 expression in the ADLT group and the ADHT group was 45% and 55%, both of which were higher than that found in the BC group (16.67%, P < 0.05, P < 0.05).
Oral administration with lower-dose biologically active recombinant BFT-2 inhibited colorectal tumorigenesis in mice.
Core tip:Bacteroides fragilis enterotoxin-2 (BFT-2) has been considered to promote the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we obtained the biologically active recombinant BFT-2 in vitro and found that lower-dose of biologically active BFT-2 could inhibit colorectal tumor formation via the route of intra-gastric administration in a mice model of CRC, which manifested to inhibit cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. The specific mechanism is still unknown but the findings provide some insights into prevention and treatment of CRC as an intestinal mucosal vaccine.