Test dietary supplements for joints accelerate melanoma growth

How do dietary supplements affect melanoma??

To strengthen their joints, many people take supplements. Researchers have now found, however, that taking chondroitin sulfate, a commonly used food, causes a specific type of melanoma to grow at an accelerated rate.

• Dietary supplements to strengthen the joints can accelerate growth of melanoma.
• Enzyme chondroitin sulfate glucuronyltransferase could be used as a target of cancer treatment.
• Ketogenic diet can accelerate growth of V600E melanoma cells.

Emory University researchers have found in their current research that a dietary supplement often used to strengthen the joints can accelerate the growth of a particular type of melanoma. The experts published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Molecular Cell".

Certain dietary supplements to strengthen the joints may favor the growth of melanoma. (Image: psdesign1 / fotolia.com)

Researchers studied the effects on mice

According to the researchers, a particular mutation in the so-called B-raf gene (V600E) can be found in about half of the melanomas. Chondroitin sulfate may enhance the growth of melanoma cells carrying the V600E mutation. Other melanoma cells are not affected, say the doctors. In the study, chondroitin sulfate was administered to mice that had implanted V600E tumors.

Effects of taking chondroitin sulfate

The V600E tumors in chondroitin sulfate-fed mice showed resistance to vemurafenib, a small molecule B-Raf inhibitor currently used to treat V600E-positive melanoma patients. The results should be a warning to oncologists and people at increased risk for melanoma taking such supplements. Chondroitin sulfate is a structural component of cartilage and is often recommended for the treatment of osteoarthritis in combination with other compounds such as glucosamine.

Chondroitin sulfate can accelerate the growth of cells

It is possible that people with a precancerous lesion are affected by the V600E mutation, the experts explain. If such persons take chondroitin sulfate, the growth of the cells may be accelerated. In addition, V600E positive cancer patients taking chondroitin sulfate may be at greater risk for relapse, says Professor Chen of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in a press release.

Further research is needed

The results must now be checked in further investigations. For example, another large study found no link between chondroitin sulfate and prostate or lung cancer risk. However, this research did not examine the genetic background that could influence the individual risk of cancer, the expert adds.

Only the polymeric form of chondroitin sulfate affects melanomas

The finding that chondroitin sulfate can promote the growth of melanoma cells suggests a signaling function within cells that is unknown to scientists. The researchers found that only the polymeric form of chondroitin sulfate (not the digested form) affected so-called B-raf melanomas. In their study, the scientists observed that the enzyme chondroitin sulfate glucuronyltransferase (CSGlcA-T, CSG short) could be found several times in the experiments. CSG is important for the formation of the chondroitin sulfate polymer, which is then secreted outside the cells.

CSG can be used against cancer?

During her current work CSG could also be identified as an anti-cancer drug target. However, compounds that inhibit the enzyme are not readily available. Inhibitors would need to be screened for possible side effects such as joint pain or deterioration of connective tissue, the researchers explain.

Ketogenic diet accelerates growth of V600E melanoma cells

It's possible that CSG will connect with other oncogenes in addition to B-raf V600E, says Professor Chen. The physicians also found that a so-called high fat, low carbohydrate ketogenic diet can accelerate the growth of V600E melanoma cells. (As)