Frequent consumption of peanuts by cancer patients may increase risk of
cancer spread, study finds

Date:
August 4, 2021
Source:
University of Liverpool
Summary:
A study has identified new factors accompanying previous findings
that frequent consumption of peanuts by cancer patients could
increase risk of cancer spread.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A study by University of Liverpool researchers has identified new factors accompanying previous findings that frequent consumption of peanuts by
cancer patients could increase risk of cancer spread.


==========================================================================
The study, published in Carcinogenesis, shows that Peanut agglutinin
(PNA) -- a carbohydrate-binding protein that rapidly enters into the blood circulation after peanuts are eaten -- interacts with blood vascular wall (endothelial) cells to produce molecules called cytokines.

The cytokines in question, IL-6 and MCP-1 are well-known promoters
of cancer metastasis. The increased cytokine production causes other endothelial cells to express more cell surface adhesion molecules,
making them more attractive to the circulating tumour cells and thus potentially promoting metastasis.

In an earlier study, Corresponding Author Professor Lu-Gang Yu and
colleagues reported that circulating PNA binds to a special sugar chain,
which occurs mainly on pre-cancerous and cancer cells, and interacts
with a larger protein expressed on the surface of tumour cells in the bloodstream.

This interaction triggers changes in the larger protein, resulting
in underlying adhesion molecules on the surface of the cancer cell to
become exposed, making the cancer cells stickier and easier to attach themselves to the blood vessels. It also allows the cancer cells to form
small clumps that prolong the survival of cancer cells in the body's circulation. Many epithelial cancers spread to the other organs through traveling through the bloodstream.

Professor Lugang Yu said: "Although further research and investigation
are still needed, these studies suggest that very frequent consumption of peanuts by cancer patients might increase the risk of metastatic spread.

"Reassuringly though, a large US study reported no significant impact
of peanut consumption on cancer mortality. In another study, peanut
consumption was reported to have no significant effect on prognosis in
men with established prostate cancer. In our previous healthy volunteer
study, substantial blood concentrations of PNA were only seen transiently
one hour or so after consumption of a large dose (250g) of peanuts, so it
may be that 'normal' peanut consumption yielding lower PNA concentrations
is harmless.

"Nevertheless, the possibility remains that circulating PNA, at least at
the relatively high levels found shortly after a large "dose" of peanuts,
could have a significant biological effect on tumour cells circulating
at that time, with a potential for increased risk of metastasis. Heavy
or very frequent peanut consumption therefore might be better avoided
by cancer patients." The possible impact of heavy peanut consumption
by cancer patients on survival will need to be investigated in further population-based epidemiological studies.

This study was supported by the American Institute for Cancer Research.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Liverpool. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Weikun Wang, Paulina Sindrewicz-Goral, Chen Chen, Carrie A
Duckworth,
David Mark Pritchard, Jonathan M Rhodes, Lu-Gang Yu. Appearance
of peanut agglutinin in the blood circulation after peanut
ingestion promotes endothelial secretion of metastasis-promoting
cytokines. Carcinogenesis, 2021; DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgab059 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210804123555.htm

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