Aminah Asif
Research Mentor(s): Muhammad Aslam
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Pathology
Presentation Date: 08/03/2022
Presentation Type: Poster
Poster Number: 36
Session: Session II: 1:30 – 2:20pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Aminah Asif, and Muhammed Nadeem Aslam
Abstract
The purpose of this clinical study was to determine whether Aquamin®, a calcium- and magnesium-rich, trace element-rich natural product derived from red marine algae, might alter the expression of growth- and differentiated-regulated proteins in the colon. Thirty healthy human subjects from ages eighteen to eighty (at risk for colorectal cancer) were enrolled in a 90-day placebo-controlled double-blind parallel interventional trial. There was a comparison of Aquamin® with calcium alone and placebo. Before and after the interventional period, colonic biopsies were acquired through sigmoidoscopy. The expression of Ki67 (proliferation marker) as well as CK20 and p21 (differentiation markers) were determined by immunohistology in biopsy specimens. The levels of multiple proteins were assessed using proteomic approach. As compared to placebo or calcium, Aquamin®, which provided 800 milligrams of calcium (per day), reduced the level of Ki67 expression by twenty percent and slightly increased CK20 expression. The increase in the p21 expression was observed with both calcium and Aquamin®. A proteomic screen revealed that Aquamin® treatment upregulated many more proteins (pro-apoptotic, cytokeratins, adhesion molecule binding, and basement membrane components) or downregulated proteins related to proliferation, nucleic acid metabolism as compared to placebo. Several of the same proteins were also altered by calcium alone, but the extent was not as great as that of Aquamin®. Based on these results, we can conclude that as a result of daily consumption of Aquamin®, the protein expression profile in the colon could be altered in a way that is beneficial for colon health.
