Fig. 1.

Balance between intestinal stemness and tumorigenesis after post-fast refeeding. In mice, refeeding after fasting increases ISC regeneration by an increased ornithine- and polyamine-dependent protein synthesis initiated via mTORC1 and eIF5A. This response includes the development of tumors in the benign adenoma stage, if the tumor suppressor APC is knocked out in Lgr5⁺ ISCs. Intestinal tumor development and ISC stemness are influenced by the composition of the diet and the gut microbiome, which might be targeted to improve tissue regeneration without increasing cancer risks. Created with BioRender.com