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Polyphenols and Plant Extracts for the Prevention of Cancer

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 January 2025) | Viewed by 9174

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Public Health Medicine, Medical School, University of Pẻcs, 7621 Pẻcs, Hungary
Interests: cancer; gene expression; polyphenols; plant extract; chemoprevention; molecular epidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tumor diseases are claiming more and more victims worldwide. Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide; it was responsible for nearly 10 million deaths in recent years. Therefore, in addition to therapeutic intervention for cancer diseases, prevention plays an important role. As a part of primary prevention, phytochemicals are capable of preventing, delaying, or reversing the initiation, promotion, and progression of preneoplastic cells into cancerous cells, thus reducing the incidence of cancerous diseases. These compounds also play a role in tertiary prevention, and they can influence the formation of metastasis through different molecular pathways, thus reducing mortality in the long term. Therefore, this Special Issue prioritizes studies that discuss the chemoprevention of cancer diseases using phytochemicals of plant origin. It searches for evidence on the mechanisms of action of bioactive agents in fruits, vegetables, and plant extracts, such as polyphenols, through experiments on specific cell lines, animal models, and human studies.

Our goal is to highlight plant-derived compounds that are important for tumor prevention and to introduce new research results to the scientific community. This Special Issue focuses on the investigation of compounds and plant extracts using molecular biological methods, epigenetics, and human epidemiological studies.

We invite your research group to submit summaries of their original studies on this important, current topic.

Dr. Tímea Varjas
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • chemoprevention
  • plant extract
  • animal model
  • in vivo model
  • in vitro study
  • messenger RNA expression
  • miRNA expression
  • blocking agent
  • suppressing agent
  • apoptosis

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2333 KiB  
Article
Betanin Attenuates Epigenetic Mechanisms and UV-Induced DNA Fragmentation in HaCaT Cells: Implications for Skin Cancer Chemoprevention
by Afshin Zand, Sodbuyan Enkhbilguun, John M. Macharia, Krisztina Varajti, Istvan Szabó, Gellért Gerencsér, Boglárka Bernadett Tisza, Bence L. Raposa, Zoltán Gyöngyi and Timea Varjas
Nutrients 2024, 16(6), 860; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16060860 - 16 Mar 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2580
Abstract
Dermal photoaging refers to the skin’s response to prolonged and excessive ultraviolet (UV) exposure, resulting in inflammation, changes to the tissue, redness, swelling, and discomfort. Betanin is the primary betacyanin in red beetroot (Beta vulgaris) and has excellent antioxidant properties. Yet, [...] Read more.
Dermal photoaging refers to the skin’s response to prolonged and excessive ultraviolet (UV) exposure, resulting in inflammation, changes to the tissue, redness, swelling, and discomfort. Betanin is the primary betacyanin in red beetroot (Beta vulgaris) and has excellent antioxidant properties. Yet, the specific molecular mechanisms of betanin in HaCaT cells have not been fully clarified. The objective of this study was to investigate the activity of betanin and the underlying mechanisms in HaCaT cells; furthermore, in this study, we explored the protective effect of various concentrations of betanin against UVB irradiation on HaCaT cells. Additionally, we assessed its influence on the transcription of various epigenetic effectors, including members of the DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) families. Our findings demonstrate a notable downregulation of genes in HaCaT cells, exhibiting diverse patterns upon betanin intake. We considered the involvement of DNMT and HDAC genes in distinct stages of carcinogenesis and the limited exploration of the effects of daily exposure dosages. Our results indicate that betanin may protect the skin from damage caused by UV exposure. Further investigation is essential to explore these potential associations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyphenols and Plant Extracts for the Prevention of Cancer)
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Review

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38 pages, 2054 KiB  
Review
Polyphenol-Based Prevention and Treatment of Cancer Through Epigenetic and Combinatorial Mechanisms
by Neha Singaravelan and Trygve O. Tollefsbol
Nutrients 2025, 17(4), 616; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17040616 - 8 Feb 2025
Viewed by 2391
Abstract
Polyphenols have been shown to be utilized as an effective treatment for cancer by acting as a DNMT or HDAC inhibitor, reducing inflammatory processes, and causing cell cycle arrest. While there have been many studies demonstrating the anti-cancerous potential of individual polyphenols, there [...] Read more.
Polyphenols have been shown to be utilized as an effective treatment for cancer by acting as a DNMT or HDAC inhibitor, reducing inflammatory processes, and causing cell cycle arrest. While there have been many studies demonstrating the anti-cancerous potential of individual polyphenols, there are limited studies on the combinatorial effects of polyphenols. This review focuses on how combinations of different polyphenols can be used as a chemotherapeutic treatment option for patients. Specifically, we examine the combinatorial effects of three commonly used polyphenols: curcumin, resveratrol, and epigallocatechin gallate. These combinations have been shown to induce apoptosis, prevent colony formation and migration, increase tumor suppression, reduce cell viability and angiogenesis, and create several epigenetic modifications. In addition, these anti-cancerous effects were synergistic and additive. Thus, these findings suggest that using different combinations of polyphenols at the appropriate concentrations can be used as a better and more efficacious treatment against cancer as compared to using polyphenols individually. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyphenols and Plant Extracts for the Prevention of Cancer)
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31 pages, 1172 KiB  
Review
Anticancer Effects of Secoiridoids—A Scoping Review of the Molecular Mechanisms behind the Chemopreventive Effects of the Olive Tree Components Oleocanthal, Oleacein, and Oleuropein
by Ikhwan Yuda Kusuma, Habibie Habibie, Muh. Akbar Bahar, Ferenc Budán and Dezső Csupor
Nutrients 2024, 16(16), 2755; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16162755 - 18 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3450
Abstract
The olive tree (Olea europaea) and olive oil hold significant cultural and historical importance in Europe. The health benefits associated with olive oil consumption have been well documented. This paper explores the mechanisms of the anti-cancer effects of olive oil and [...] Read more.
The olive tree (Olea europaea) and olive oil hold significant cultural and historical importance in Europe. The health benefits associated with olive oil consumption have been well documented. This paper explores the mechanisms of the anti-cancer effects of olive oil and olive leaf, focusing on their key bioactive compounds, namely oleocanthal, oleacein, and oleuropein. The chemopreventive potential of oleocanthal, oleacein, and oleuropein is comprehensively examined through this systematic review. We conducted a systematic literature search to identify eligible articles from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases published up to 10 October 2023. Among 4037 identified articles, there were 88 eligible articles describing mechanisms of chemopreventive effects of oleocanthal, oleacein, and oleuropein. These compounds have the ability to inhibit cell proliferation, induce cell death (apoptosis, autophagy, and necrosis), inhibit angiogenesis, suppress tumor metastasis, and modulate cancer-associated signalling pathways. Additionally, oleocanthal and oleuropein were also reported to disrupt redox hemostasis. This review provides insights into the chemopreventive mechanisms of O. europaea-derived secoiridoids, shedding light on their role in chemoprevention. The bioactivities summarized in the paper support the epidemiological evidence demonstrating a negative correlation between olive oil consumption and cancer risk. Furthermore, the mapped and summarized secondary signalling pathways may provide information to elucidate new synergies with other chemopreventive agents to complement chemotherapies and develop novel nutrition-based anti-cancer approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyphenols and Plant Extracts for the Prevention of Cancer)
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