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Study · Journal of gastroenterology · 2024Conflicts declared

Resistant starch and colon tumours in mice fed high-fructose corn syrup

Zhang Y, Shen W, Chen Z, et al · Free full text

What it found

In mice, resistant starch reduced colon tumours caused by high-fructose corn syrup, apparently by changing gut bacteria and raising butyrate.

The work was done in mice and lab-grown cells, not in people.

What they found

Animal and lab studies

Colon tumours in mice

Mice given high-fructose corn syrup developed more colon tumours than control mice. Adding resistant starch to their diet clearly reduced the number of tumours.

Cell proliferation marker

Colon tumours from mice on high-fructose corn syrup had more of a marker called Ki67, which indicates cells dividing. Resistant starch brought this back down.

Gut bacteria changes

High-fructose corn syrup and resistant starch both changed the mix of gut bacteria. Resistant starch increased bacteria such as Muribaculaceae and Ruminococcaceae, which are linked to protective effects, and decreased Erysipelotrichaceae.

Short-chain fatty acids

Mice on high-fructose corn syrup had lower levels of short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate, in their guts. Resistant starch raised these levels, particularly butyrate and acetate.

Gut bacteria needed

When mice were given antibiotics to wipe out gut bacteria, resistant starch no longer shrank tumours. This suggests the effect depends on gut bacteria.

Studies in people and animals

Glycolysis and HK2

High-fructose corn syrup boosted glycolysis in colon tumours, but resistant starch reversed this. In lab tests, butyrate reduced glycolysis and cancer cell growth by lowering the enzyme HK2.

What the authors conclude

“Our study identified RS as a candidate of protective factors in CRC and may provide a potential target for HFCS-related CRC treatment.”
Zhang Y, Shen W, Chen Z, et al, 2024

Also in their conclusions

  • They say resistant starch is a candidate protective factor against colorectal cancer and may be a target for treating high-fructose corn syrup-related colorectal cancer.
  • They suggest that resistant starch changes the gut microbial community, raising short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, which then suppress glycolysis and cancer cell growth by lowering HK2.
  • They call for further validation in clinical research, since their experiments used mice and cancer cell lines.

How it was done

High-fructose corn syrup is widely used in drinks and foods, and some studies suggest it may raise the risk of colorectal cancer. The authors wanted to see whether resistant starch, a type of dietary fibre, could reduce or block that effect.

They gave mice high-fructose corn syrup, with or without resistant starch, in two mouse models of colon cancer (AOM/DSS and Apc Min/+) for about 2 months. They also grew human and mouse colon cancer cells in the lab and treated them with high-fructose corn syrup, butyrate, or both.

What it can’t tell you

  • These are animal and lab studies. They can't show what happens in people.
  • The mouse models don't prove that resistant starch will reduce colon cancer risk in humans.
  • The study didn't test resistant starch in people, so its effects on human colon cancer are unknown.

The paper

Title
Resistant starch reduces glycolysis by HK2 and suppresses high-fructose corn syrup-induced colon tumorigenesis
Type
Study
Evidence
Studies in people · animals · lab
Summarised from
Full text
Cite
Zhang Y, Shen W, Chen Z, et al (2024). Resistant starch reduces glycolysis by HK2 and suppresses high-fructose corn syrup-induced colon tumorigenesis. Journal of gastroenterology. doi:10.1007/s00535-024-02138-3Free full textPubMed 39141107DOI

Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error