Award for young toxicology researchers
As part of the 11th German Pharm-Tox Summit in Düsseldorf, Moritz Kruchten was awarded the poster prize of the Genotoxicity and Carcinogenesis Working Group of the Society of Toxicology (GT). Mr. Kruchten is a doctoral student in the Emmy Noether junior research group of Dr. Tina Kostka in the area of study Food Chemistry and Toxicology. His research topic investigates the role of heme oxygenase-1 in the development of colon cancer.
Epidemiological studies show that the risk of colon cancer increases with the consumption of red meat such as beef and pork. An important factor in this detrimental effect on health is the molecule heme, which is found in high quantities in red muscle meat and is responsible for oxygen transport in the tissue. Excessive consumption of red meat can lead to DNA damage, mutations and changes in the microbiome in the intestine; all mechanisms that can promote the development of a tumor. Nevertheless, red meat is an ideal source of iron for humans, as the heme molecule consists of iron, among other things. To enable the body to use iron as an essential trace element, the haem is broken down in the intestinal cells by the protein haemoxygenase-1 (HO-1) and iron is released. HO-1 thus represents an important physiological protective function of the cells against free heme. In addition to the degradation of heme to iron, the protein also appears to be able to influence tumor development and metastasis formation. However, little is known about how HO-1 influences the growth and development of colon cancer cells.
Moritz Kruchten's doctoral thesis investigates individual aspects of tumor development in healthy cells and tumor cells, whereby the presence of HO-1 in the cells is influenced. At the conference, Mr. Kruchten presented his results after chemical induction of HO-1, focusing on growth, migration and specific markers for the process of metastasis. He also showed initial results with genetically modified knockout cellsthat are unable to produce HO-1.
Mr. Kruchten's research project is part of Dr. Tina Kostka's Emmy Noether Junior Research Group, which is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in the Excellence Program. The junior research group deals with various aspects of meat-associated colon carcinogenesis, including HO-1, heme and nitrite curing salt.
Questions answered:
Dr. Tina Kostka
Area of study: Food Chemistry and Toxicology
Chemistry department
Phone: 0631 205-3043
E-mail: kostka@rptu.de