%0 Journal Article
%T The Role of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors in Colorectal Cancer
%A Joo-In Park
%A Jong-Young Kwak
%J PPAR Research
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/876418
%X Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Dietary fat intake is a major risk factor for colorectal cancer. Some nuclear hormone receptors play an important role in regulating nutrient metabolism and energy homeostasis. Among these receptors, special attention has been focused on the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in colorectal cancer, because PPARs are involved in regulation of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. PPARs are ligand-activated intracellular transcription factors. The PPAR subfamily consists of three subtypes encoded by distinct genes named PPAR¦Á, PPAR¦Â/¦Ä, and PPAR¦Ã. PPAR¦Ã is the most extensively studied subtype of PPARs. Even though many investigators have studied the expression and clinical implications of PPARs in colorectal cancer, there are still many controversies about the role of PPARs in colorectal cancer. In this paper, the recent progresses in understanding the role of PPARs in colorectal cancer are summarized. 1. Introduction Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Its incidence appears to be increasing, particularly in developed countries [1¨C3]. Colorectal carcinogenesis results from the loss of the normal regulatory pathways involved in cell proliferation and cell death. Especially, molecular alterations of multiple pathways including Wnt (Wingless type)/adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and Ras are known to play important roles in progression of colorectal cancer. Recent progresses in the development of new chemotherapeutic agents have improved the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients [4]. However, for most patients with advanced colorectal cancer, it is still difficult to achieve a complete remission, especially with surgery or chemotherapy. Therefore, significant effort has been exerted to identify novel drug targets for both the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) belong to members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily including receptors for steroid, retinoid, vitamin D, and thyroid hormones [5]. PPARs have received the attention of investigators interested in studying about the intracellular pathways that control signal transduction and gene transcription since their discovery in 1990. The name of PPARs was derived from its property to proliferate peroxisomes in rodent liver, where PPAR¦Á plays the major role. However, none of the PPARs could be contributed to peroxisome proliferation in humans [6]. PPARs are metabolic regulators involved in the
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ppar/2012/876418/