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Flaxseed may reduce the risk of breast cancer. This effect would be linked to a reaction triggered within the intestinal microbiota. Focus on this discovery which opens the way to other means of cancer prevention.
Flaxseed may reduce the risk of breast cancer. American researchers believe that lignans, a compound present in foods rich in fiber such as seeds and cereals, can influence the intestinal microbiome which itself acts to reduce the risk of breast tumors.
Flax seeds modify the microbiota and thus reduce the risk of breast cancer
Previous studies have shown that flaxseed is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. At the origin of these effects, lignans, compounds associated with fibers present in many foods and particularly abundant in flax seeds, are the main compounds suspected of having such an action. But the mechanism remained mysterious until now…
American researchers gave a solution of flaxseed lignans to female mice for three weeks. They observed a particular reaction in the cecal intestine, the pocket-shaped part of the colon between the large intestine and the small intestine. At this level, within the microbiota, the activity of bacteria leads to the release of small molecules capable of sending signals to the microRNAs of the mammary glands.
MicroRNAs or miRNAs are short, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. A subset of these miRNAs regulate genes involved in breast cancer, including genes that control cell proliferation and migration. And the signal sent leads to a reduction in the risk of developing cancer cells!
Acting on the microbiota to reduce the risk of cancer
“In this study, we found correlations between flaxseed-enriched diets, cecal microbiota composition, and miRNA profiles in the mammary gland that regulate many pathways, including those involved in cancer development.” says Jennifer Auchtung of the University of Nebraska, author of the journal who worked on the article.
This new study demonstrates that the human intestinal microbiome could be a factor in breast health. “If these results are confirmed, the microbiota becomes a new target for preventing breast cancer through dietary intervention“, said Professor Elena M. Comelli of the University of Toronto, lead author of the study.
Other grains like barley, buckwheat, millet, oats, rye and wheat also contain high levels of lignans. They are also abundant in other nuts and seeds, as well as beverages like coffee, tea and wine. This new study confirms other recent work suggesting that flaxseed reduces cancer risk.