About This Project
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers for patients under 50 years of age in the US (1). CRC is increasing in the young (2). We hypothesize a common food additive Red 40 significantly increases chances of CRC.
(1) Patel SG, et al. Colorectal Cancer in the Young. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2018. (2)Bailey CE, et al. Increasing disparities in the age-related incidences of colon and rectal cancers in the United States, 1975-2010. JAMA Surg. 2015
Ask the Scientists
Join The DiscussionWhat is the context of this research?
Red 40 is a synthetic food additive approved by the FDA in the 1970's(1). It is in over 50% of our food supply (2). Knowing Red 40 is metabolized or 'activated' by our gut microbiome is especially alarming (3). These could be little 'bombs' going off in our gut, that causes sustained inflammation and drives colorectal cancer.
We will test Red 40 assumption in mice and cancer incidence.
(1) Amchova P, et al. Health safety issues of synthetic food colorants. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP. 2015
(2) Arnold LE, et al. Artificial food colors and attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms: conclusions to dye for. Neurotherapeutics. 2012
(3)Walker R, et al. Mechanisms of azo reduction by Streptococcus faecalis. I. Optimization of assay conditions. Xenobiotica. 1971
What is the significance of this project?
Red 40 has a warning label in the European Union(1). It is banned in Switzerland and U.K due to health concerns (2). It is neither banned nor has a warning label in the USA. And alarmingly is in over 50% of our food, especially children's food(3,4). It is highly significant we find out whether it causes CRC and is the culprit in the huge rise in CRC in our teenagers and young adults.
(1)https://cspinet.org/new/201007201.html
(2)https://www.focusforhealth.org
(3) Stevens LJ, et al. Amounts of Artificial Food Colors in Commonly Consumed Beverages and Potential Behavioral Implications for Consumption in Children: Revisited. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2015
(4)Amchova P, et al. Health safety issues of synthetic food colorants. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP. 2015
What are the goals of the project?
We hypothesized that Red 40 causes CRC in human, and we will test this hypothesis in mouse model, which carry out the assumption dose equivalent as human safety dose approved by the FDA (1,2). Our goal is display the evidence to the FDA that Red 40 should not be in our food supply. It will have far-reaching implications.
(1)https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives
(2)GMP (21 CFR 74.340)
Budget
Red 40 makes our (especially our kids') food colorful and we suspect it is causing colorectal cancer. We will conduct an animal model experiment to determine the mechanisms and pathology of Red 40 on colon health. We have already initiated experiments, but will be short of money in the analysis. Therefore, without analysis, we can't come to conclusions. We would like to use this money to analyze blood, feces and tissues (especially colon and rectum) for markers of inflammation, and tumorigenesis. We also request a few more mice for analysis of endpoints that require separate experiments (e.g. fresh tissue for cytokine analysis). We have the equipment and simply request funding for supplies.
Project Timeline
We started the animal project in Feb 2019. The study is ongoing, and end point is Dec, 2019. During Aug, 2019: Analyze partial animal plasma for cytokines, and tissue DNA damage analysis. During Dec 2019: End point for all groups to 10 months experimental then examine tumorigenesis. During Aug to Dec 2019: Continue collecting feces and data and analyze microbiome, inflammation and tumor markers. Our approved Proposal reference: # 101337.
Sep 30, 2019
Preliminary analysis of inflammation
Sep 30, 2019
Preliminary analysis of microbiome
Oct 23, 2019
Share our results to experiment.com
Dec 01, 2019
Sacrifice mice
Feb 18, 2020
Share our result to experiment.com
Meet the Team
Team Bio
I am part of an academic team focusing on colorectal cancer for the past 20 years at the University of South Carolina.
Qi Zhang
My name is Qi Zhang, current I'm a Ph.D. Candidate in Pharmaceutical Sciences program, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
I was a Chemistry Researcher (RISE fellowship) in Savannah State University 2015-2016, then I accepted in Graduate School in University of South Carolina, Columbia in fall 2016.
I had Master Degree in Pharmaceutical Engineering in Tianjin University, 2005, China, and I hold Bachelor in Science, Pharmaceutical Analysis from China Pharmaceutical Analysis, 1998, China.
I had a 11+ years’ experience specializes in pharmaceutical manufacturing industry GLP/cGMP environment, worked as senior QA analyst, QA supervisor and QC and I am a well trained and experienced, a quality control/assurance expert. I am Board Certified and Licensed Pharmacist, China since 2001.
I had five years academic research experience in U.S., involved in green chemistry, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, leukemia, and colorectal cancer. One-year academic teaching assistant experience, with great personality and confidence communicate with students. I expect my defense date in Summer 2020, for my research on Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer in mice.
I had 5 peer-reviewed publications during 2016 to current, one of first author paper. My goal is publishing the results from this study, and claim the food safety for our society.
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