Svanhild Margrethe Arentz Schønberg
Svanhild Margrethe Arentz Schønberg
Head of Department
Department of Health Sciences Ålesund Faculty of Medicine and Health SciencesBackground and activities
Education
- 1989 Cand.Scient. (chemistry), AVH, University of Trondheim, Norway
- 1997 Doctor scientiarum (biochemistry), Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
Research Interests
- Nutrigenomics
- Diet and cancer
- Cancer cachexia
Research Projects
1. Do n-3 fatty acids have a potential in treatment of cancer?
My research primarily focuses on examining how dietary factors, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), affect cancer.
Epidemiological evidence has established that ingestion of -3 PUFAs, abundant in marine oils, have profound effects on many human disorders and diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and cachexia. Studies point to a negative correlation between consumption of fish and incidence of breast, prostate and colon cancer. In vitro and animal model studies indicate that -3 PUFAs inhibit proliferation of cancer cells and growth of tumors. Exploring how these dietary fatty acids inhibit cell proliferation and tumor growth by interacting with and modulating signalling pathways at the molecular level, constitute a major challenge. However, such knowledge may lead to development of different treatment strategies that may be targeted and/or enhance the impact of conventional therapy.
We are using different approaches to evaluate the potential of different PUFAs as chemotherapeutic agents alone or in combination with conventional therapy in cancer. Both cell culture systems and cancer xenografts in different animal models are used for gene expression profiling (Affymetrix) and molecular MR. Target genes or regulatory mechanisms of interest are being examined in more detail by real-time RT-PCR, 2DE or Western blot. Lipid metabolites in colon cancer cells and colon tumors are analyzed by MR and GC-FID. Identification of the induction or repression of specific genes (signaling pathways) by individual nutrients may provide firm evidence at the molecular level that the food we eat may have a significant impact on several health issues.
2. Translational Research in Lung Cancer and Palliative Care – from genomics to symptom control (TLCPC)
3. EPCRC: Improved treatment of pain, depression and fatigue through translation research (http://www.epcrc.org)
Scientific, academic and artistic work
A selection of recent journal publications, artistic productions, books, including book and report excerpts. See all publications in the database
Journal publications
- (2020) Power comparisons and clinical meaning of outcome measures in assessing treatment effect in cancer cachexia: secondary analysis from a randomised pilot multimodal intervention trial. Frontiers in Nutrition. vol. 7:602775.
- (2018) Basal level of autophagy and MAP1LC3B-II as potential biomarkers for DHA-induced cytotoxicity in colorectal cancer cells. The FEBS Journal. vol. 285 (13).
- (2017) Gene expression differences between PAXgene and Tempus blood RNA tubes are highly reproducible between independent samples and biobanks. BMC Research Notes. vol. 10 (136).
- (2016) DHA-induced stress response in human colon cancer cells - Focus on oxidative stress and autophagy. Free Radical Biology & Medicine. vol. 90.
- (2015) The marine n-3 PUFA DHA evokes cytoprotection against oxidative stress and protein misfolding by inducing autophagy and NFE2L2 in human retinal pigment epithelial cells. Autophagy. vol. 11 (9).
- (2012) Bioactive fatty acids reduce development of gastric cancer following duodenogastric reflux in rats. Surgical Science. vol. 3.
- (2011) Tetradecylthioacetic acid inhibits proliferation of human SW620 colon cancer cells - gene expression profiling implies endoplasmic reticulum stress. Lipids in Health and Disease. vol. 10.
- (2010) DHA alters expression of target proteins of cancer therapy in chemotherapy resistant SW620 colon cancer cells. Nutrition and Cancer. vol. 62 (5).
- (2009) The Antiproliferative Effect of EPA in HL60 Cells is Mediated by Alterations in Calcium Homeostasis. Lipids. vol. 44 (2).
- (2009) Docosahexaenoic acid activates some SREBP-2 targets independent of cholesterol and ER stress in SW620 colon cancer cells. Lipids. vol. 44 (8).
- (2008) Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supress Growth of SW620 Human Colon Cancer Xenografts in Nude Mice. Anticancer Research. vol. 28 (6A).
- (2008) Decidual expression and maternal serum levels of heme oxygenase 1 are increased in pre-eclampsia. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. vol. 87 (3).
- (2008) DHA induces ER stress and growth arrest in human colon cancer cells: association with cholesterol and calcium homeostasis. Journal of Lipid Research. vol. 49.
- (2008) The antiproliferative effect of EPA in HL60 cells is mediated by alterations in calcium homeostasis. Lipids.
- (2007) Effect of dietary tetradecylthioacetic acid on colon cancer growth studied by dynamic contrast enhanced MRI. Cancer Biology & Therapy. vol. 6 (11).
- (2006) Closely related colon cancer cell lines display different sensitivity to polyunsaturated fatty acids, accumulate different lipid classes and downregulate sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1. The FEBS Journal. vol. 273.
- (2005) Cell specific effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on 5-aminolevulinic acid based photosensitization. Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences. vol. 4.
- (2005) Endoplasmic reticulum stress induced by DHA leads to growth arrest of human colon cancer cells. Chemistry and Physics of Lipids. vol. 136 (2).
- (2002) Fatty acids potentiate interleukin-1B toxicity in the B-cell line INS-1E. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications - BBRC. vol. 296.
- (1998) Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids and their n-6 hydroperoxides on growth of five malignant cell lines and the significance of culture media. Lipids. vol. 1998.