A fundamental defect in cancer cells is the abnormal and uncontrolled cell
proliferation. Along with that, there is de-differentiation to an immature or primitive
phenotype. InsP6 and inositol normalize the abnormal cell proliferation rate and induce
increased differentiation so that the cancer cells begin to look and behave akin to
normal cells. Examples of these are shown in colon cancer, erythroleukemia and
mammary cancer, and rhabdomyosarcoma cells. In colon cancer cells that produce the
cancer marker ß-D-Galactose-[1→3]-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (Gal-GalNAc), InsP6
inhibits the expression of the marker in the intracellular mucus without suppressing the
production of mucus, a normal function of colon epithelial cells.
Keywords: Aberrant crypt, ACF, actin, anoikis, apoptosis, erythroleukemia,
HeLa cells, HL-60 cells, lactalbumin, mucin, PCNA, rhabdomyosarcoma, tumor
marker.