Chemopreventive effect of a milk whey by-product derived from Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in protecting from colorectal carcinogenesis

BACKGROUND: Several studies show that natural foods are a source of compounds with anticancer properties that affect the gut microbiota and its metabolites. In the present study, we investigate the effect of a delactosed buffalo milk whey by-product (DMW) on colorectal carcinogenesis. METHODS: The effect of DMW on colorectal carcinoma (CRC) was investigated in the established mouse model of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon carcinoma, which closely resembles the human clinical condition of CRC. The effect of DMW on CRC immortalized cell lines was also evaluated to further identify the antineoplastic mechanism of action. RESULTS: Pretreatment of AOM-treated mice with DMW significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the percentage of mice bearing both aberrant crypt foci with more than four crypts (which are early precancerous lesions that progress to CRC) and tumors. In addition, DMW completely counteracted the effect of AOM on protein expression of caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase in colonic tissue. Administration of DMW alone (i.e. without AOM) resulted in changes in the composition of the gut microbiota, leading to enrichment or depletion of genera associated with health and disease, respectively. DMW was also able to restore AOM-induced changes in specific genera of the gut microbiota. Specifically, DMW reduced the genera Atopobiaceae, Ruminococcus 1 and Lachnospiraceae XPB1014 and increased the genera Parabacteroides and Candidatus Saccharimonas, which were increased and reduced, respectively, by AOM. Blood levels of butyric acid and cancer diagnostic markers (5-methylcytidine and glycerophosphocholine), which were increased by AOM treatment, were reduced by DMW. Furthermore, DMW exerted cytotoxic effects on two human CRC cell lines (HCT116 and HT29) and these effects were associated with the induction of apoptotic signaling. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that DMW exerts chemopreventive effects and restores the gut microbiota in AOM-induced CRC, and induces cytotoxic effect on CRC cells. DMW could be an important dietary supplement to support a healthy gut microbiota and reduce the prevalence of CRC in humans. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12964-023-01271-5.