The role of the lipidome in obesity-mediated colon cancer risk

Obesity is a state of chronic inflammation influenced by lipids such as fatty acids and their secondary oxygenated metabolites deemed oxylipids. Many such lipid mediators serve as potent signaling molecules of inflammation, which can further alter lipid metabolism and lead to carcinogenesis. For example, sphingosine-1-phosphate activates cyclooxygenase-2 in endothelial cells resulting in the conversion of arachidonic acid (AA) to prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). PGE2 promotes colon cancer cell growth. In contrast, the less studied path of AA oxygenation via cytochrome p450 enzymes produces epoxyeicosatetraenoic acids (EETs), whose anti-inflammatory properties cause shrinking of enlarged adipocytes, a characteristic of obesity, through the liberation of fatty acids. It is now thought that EET depletion occurs in obesity and may contribute to colon cell carcinogenesis. Meanwhile, gangliosides, a type of sphingolipid, are cell surface signaling molecules that contribute to the apoptosis of colon tumor cells. Many of these discoveries have been made recently and the mechanisms are still not fully understood, leading to an exciting new chapter of lipidomic research. In this review, mechanisms behind obesity-associated colon cancer are discussed with a focus on the role of small lipid signaling molecules in the process. Specifically, changes in lipid metabolite levels during obesity and the development of colon cancer, as well as novel biomarkers and targets for therapy, are discussed.