Effects of folic acid deficiency on genetic damage in colorectal cancer cells.

Objective: To explore the effect of folic acid deficiency on genetic damage and mRNA expression in colorectal cancer cells.

Methods: We cultured human colonic epithelial cells ccd-841-con and colonic adenocarcinoma cells Caco-2 with RPMI1640 medium in folic acid-deficient concentration (22.6 nM) and standard concentration (2260 nM), respectively. Cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytometer was used to evaluate and compare the genetic damage of the tested cells. Poly(a) tailing method and dual luciferase reporter gene detection system were used to analyze the expression of miR-200a and its relationship with miR-190. Furthermore, the miR-190 expression was measured by RT-qPCR.

Results: When folic acid was deficient for 21 days, the frequency of genetic damage was increased in both types of tested cells, and micronucleus, a marker associated with chromosome breakage, was dominant (P < 0.01). miR-200a targeted the 3'-UTR region of miR-190. In colonic epithelial cells ccd-841-con, the transcript levels of miR-200a and miR-190 were upregulated when folic acid was depleted for 21 days (P < 0.01).

Conclusions: Folate deficiency can cause cytogenetic damage and affect the expression of miR-200a and miR-190 in rectal cancer cells.