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Baralić K, Živanović J, Marić Đ, Bozic D, Grahovac L, Antonijević Miljaković E, Ćurčić M, Buha Djordjevic A, Bulat Z, Antonijević B, Đukić-Ćosić D. Sulforaphane-A Compound with Potential Health Benefits for Disease Prevention and Treatment: Insights from Pharmacological and Toxicological Experimental Studies. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:147. [PMID: 38397745 PMCID: PMC10886109 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13020147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Sulforaphane (SFN), which is a hydrolysis product from glucoraphanin, a compound found in cruciferous vegetables, has been studied for its potential health benefits, particularly in disease prevention and treatment. SFN has proven to be effective in combating different types of cancer by inhibiting the proliferation of tumors and triggering apoptosis. This dual action has been demonstrated to result in a reduction in tumor size and an enhancement of survival rates in animal models. SFN has also shown antidiabetic and anti-obesity effects, improving glucose tolerance and reducing fat accumulation. SFN's ability to activate Nrf2, a transcription factor regulating oxidative stress and inflammation in cells, is a primary mechanism behind its anticancerogenic and antidiabetic effects. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties are also suggested to provide beneficial effects against neurodegenerative diseases. The potential health benefits of SFN have led to increased interest in its use as a dietary supplement or adjunct to chemotherapy, but there are insufficient data on its efficacy and optimal doses, as well as its safety. This review aims to present and discuss SFN's potential in treating various diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on its mechanisms of action. It also summarizes studies on the pharmacological and toxicological potential of SFN in in vitro and animal models and explores its protective role against toxic compounds through in vitro and animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Baralić
- Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 450, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia; (J.Ž.); (Đ.M.); (D.B.); (L.G.); (E.A.M.); (M.Ć.); (A.B.D.); (Z.B.); (B.A.); (D.Đ.-Ć.)
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Sulforaphane Impact on Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Bladder Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115938. [PMID: 34073079 PMCID: PMC8197880 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Sulforaphane (SFN) is a natural glucosinolate found in cruciferous vegetables that acts as a chemopreventive agent, but its mechanism of action is not clear. Due to antioxidative mechanisms being thought central in preventing cancer progression, SFN could play a role in oxidative processes. Since redox imbalance with increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is involved in the initiation and progression of bladder cancer, this mechanism might be involved when chemoresistance occurs. This review summarizes current understanding regarding the influence of SFN on ROS and ROS-related pathways and appraises a possible role of SFN in bladder cancer treatment.
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Robertson H, Dinkova-Kostova AT, Hayes JD. NRF2 and the Ambiguous Consequences of Its Activation during Initiation and the Subsequent Stages of Tumourigenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3609. [PMID: 33276631 PMCID: PMC7761610 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
NF-E2 p45-related factor 2 (NRF2, encoded in the human by NFE2L2) mediates short-term adaptation to thiol-reactive stressors. In normal cells, activation of NRF2 by a thiol-reactive stressor helps prevent, for a limited period of time, the initiation of cancer by chemical carcinogens through induction of genes encoding drug-metabolising enzymes. However, in many tumour types, NRF2 is permanently upregulated. In such cases, its overexpressed target genes support the promotion and progression of cancer by suppressing oxidative stress, because they constitutively increase the capacity to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), and they support cell proliferation by increasing ribonucleotide synthesis, serine biosynthesis and autophagy. Herein, we describe cancer chemoprevention and the discovery of the essential role played by NRF2 in orchestrating protection against chemical carcinogenesis. We similarly describe the discoveries of somatic mutations in NFE2L2 and the gene encoding the principal NRF2 repressor, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) along with that encoding a component of the E3 ubiquitin-ligase complex Cullin 3 (CUL3), which result in permanent activation of NRF2, and the recognition that such mutations occur frequently in many types of cancer. Notably, mutations in NFE2L2, KEAP1 and CUL3 that cause persistent upregulation of NRF2 often co-exist with mutations that activate KRAS and the PI3K-PKB/Akt pathway, suggesting NRF2 supports growth of tumours in which KRAS or PKB/Akt are hyperactive. Besides somatic mutations, NRF2 activation in human tumours can occur by other means, such as alternative splicing that results in a NRF2 protein which lacks the KEAP1-binding domain or overexpression of other KEAP1-binding partners that compete with NRF2. Lastly, as NRF2 upregulation is associated with resistance to cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy, we describe strategies that might be employed to suppress growth and overcome drug resistance in tumours with overactive NRF2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Robertson
- Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre, Division of Cellular Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK; (H.R.); (A.T.D.-K.)
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Albena T. Dinkova-Kostova
- Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre, Division of Cellular Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK; (H.R.); (A.T.D.-K.)
| | - John D. Hayes
- Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre, Division of Cellular Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK; (H.R.); (A.T.D.-K.)
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Yagishita Y, Fahey JW, Dinkova-Kostova AT, Kensler TW. Broccoli or Sulforaphane: Is It the Source or Dose That Matters? Molecules 2019; 24:E3593. [PMID: 31590459 PMCID: PMC6804255 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24193593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
There is robust epidemiological evidence for the beneficial effects of broccoli consumption on health, many of them clearly mediated by the isothiocyanate sulforaphane. Present in the plant as its precursor, glucoraphanin, sulforaphane is formed through the actions of myrosinase, a β-thioglucosidase present in either the plant tissue or the mammalian microbiome. Since first isolated from broccoli and demonstrated to have cancer chemoprotective properties in rats in the early 1990s, over 3000 publications have described its efficacy in rodent disease models, underlying mechanisms of action or, to date, over 50 clinical trials examining pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and disease mitigation. This review evaluates the current state of knowledge regarding the relationships between formulation (e.g., plants, sprouts, beverages, supplements), bioavailability and efficacy, and the doses of glucoraphanin and/or sulforaphane that have been used in pre-clinical and clinical studies. We pay special attention to the challenges for better integration of animal model and clinical studies, particularly with regard to selection of dose and route of administration. More effort is required to elucidate underlying mechanisms of action and to develop and validate biomarkers of pharmacodynamic action in humans. A sobering lesson is that changes in approach will be required to implement a public health paradigm for dispensing benefit across all spectrums of the global population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Yagishita
- Translational Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
| | - Jed W Fahey
- Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
- Cullman Chemoprotection Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Albena T Dinkova-Kostova
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
- Cullman Chemoprotection Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
- Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre, Division of Cellular Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland DD1 9SY, UK.
| | - Thomas W Kensler
- Translational Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
- Cullman Chemoprotection Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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Briones-Herrera A, Eugenio-Pérez D, Reyes-Ocampo JG, Rivera-Mancía S, Pedraza-Chaverri J. New highlights on the health-improving effects of sulforaphane. Food Funct 2018; 9:2589-2606. [PMID: 29701207 DOI: 10.1039/c8fo00018b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we review recent evidence about the beneficial effects of sulforaphane (SFN), which is the most studied member of isothiocyanates, on both in vivo and in vitro models of different diseases, mainly diabetes and cancer. The role of SFN on oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolism is discussed, with emphasis on those nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway-mediated mechanisms. In the case of the anti-inflammatory effects of SFN, the point of convergence seems to be the downregulation of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), with the consequent amelioration of other pathogenic processes such as hypertrophy and fibrosis. We emphasized that SFN shows opposite effects in normal and cancer cells at many levels; for instance, while in normal cells it has protective actions, in cancer cells it blocks the induction of factors related to the malignity of tumors, diminishes their development, and induces cell death. SFN is able to promote apoptosis in cancer cells by many mechanisms, the production of reactive oxygen species being one of the most relevant ones. Given its properties, SFN could be considered as a phytochemical at the forefront of natural medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Briones-Herrera
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
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Anderson RH, Lensing CJ, Forred BJ, Amolins MW, Aegerter CL, Vitiello PF, Mays JR. Differentiating Antiproliferative and Chemopreventive Modes of Activity for Electron-Deficient Aryl Isothiocyanates against Human MCF-7 Cells. ChemMedChem 2018; 13:1695-1710. [PMID: 29924910 PMCID: PMC6105534 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201800348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The consumption of Brassica vegetables provides beneficial effects through organic isothiocyanates (ITCs), products of the enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolate secondary metabolites. The ITC l-sulforaphane (l-SFN) is the principle agent in broccoli that demonstrates several modes of anticancer action. While the anticancer properties of ITCs like l-SFN have been extensively studied and l-SFN has been the subject of multiple human clinical trials, the scope of this work has largely been limited to those derivatives found in nature. Previous studies have demonstrated that structural changes in an ITC can lead to marked differences in a compound's potency to 1) inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and 2) alter cellular transcriptional profiles. This study describes the preparation of a library of non-natural aryl ITCs and the development of a bifurcated screening approach to evaluate the dose- and time-dependence on antiproliferative and chemopreventive properties against human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Antiproliferative effects were evaluated using a commercial MTS cell viability assay. Chemopreventive properties were evaluated using an antioxidant response element (ARE)-promoted luciferase reporter assay. The results of this study have led to the identification of 1) several key structure-activity relationships and 2) lead ITCs for continued development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruthellen H. Anderson
- Department of Chemistry Augustana University 2001 S. Summit Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57197
| | - Cody J. Lensing
- Department of Chemistry Augustana University 2001 S. Summit Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57197
| | - Benjamin J. Forred
- Environmental Influences on Health and Disease Group Sanford Research 2301 E. 60 St. N. Sioux Falls, SD 57104
| | - Michael W. Amolins
- Department of Chemistry Augustana University 2001 S. Summit Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57197
- Environmental Influences on Health and Disease Group Sanford Research 2301 E. 60 St. N. Sioux Falls, SD 57104
| | - Cassandra L. Aegerter
- Environmental Influences on Health and Disease Group Sanford Research 2301 E. 60 St. N. Sioux Falls, SD 57104
| | - Peter F. Vitiello
- Environmental Influences on Health and Disease Group Sanford Research 2301 E. 60 St. N. Sioux Falls, SD 57104
| | - Jared R. Mays
- Department of Chemistry Augustana University 2001 S. Summit Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57197
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Bose C, Awasthi S, Sharma R, Beneš H, Hauer-Jensen M, Boerma M, Singh SP. Sulforaphane potentiates anticancer effects of doxorubicin and attenuates its cardiotoxicity in a breast cancer model. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193918. [PMID: 29518137 PMCID: PMC5843244 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women of the Western world. Doxorubicin (DOX) continues to be used extensively to treat early-stage or node-positive breast cancer, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer, and metastatic disease. We have previously demonstrated in a mouse model that sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate isolated from cruciferous vegetables, protects the heart from DOX-induced toxicity and damage. However, the effects of SFN on the chemotherapeutic efficacy of DOX in breast cancer are not known. Present studies were designed to investigate whether SFN alters the effects of DOX on breast cancer regression while also acting as a cardioprotective agent. Studies on rat neonatal cardiomyocytes and multiple rat and human breast cancer cell lines revealed that SFN protects cardiac cells but not cancer cells from DOX toxicity. Results of studies in a rat orthotopic breast cancer model indicated that SFN enhanced the efficacy of DOX in regression of tumor growth, and that the DOX dosage required to treat the tumor could be reduced when SFN was administered concomitantly. Additionally, SFN enhanced mitochondrial respiration in the hearts of DOX-treated rats and reduced cardiac oxidative stress caused by DOX, as evidenced by the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, the activation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and associated antioxidant enzymes. These studies indicate that SFN not only acts synergistically with DOX in cancer regression, but also protects the heart from DOX toxicity through Nrf2 activation and protection of mitochondrial integrity and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhanda Bose
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Geriatrics, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Sanjay Awasthi
- Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rajendra Sharma
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Helen Beneš
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Martin Hauer-Jensen
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Division of Radiation Health, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Marjan Boerma
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Division of Radiation Health, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Sharda P. Singh
- Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
- Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
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Lan A, Li W, Liu Y, Xiong Z, Zhang X, Zhou S, Palko O, Chen H, Kapita M, Prigge JR, Schmidt EE, Chen X, Sun Z, Chen XL. Chemoprevention of oxidative stress-associated oral carcinogenesis by sulforaphane depends on NRF2 and the isothiocyanate moiety. Oncotarget 2018; 7:53502-53514. [PMID: 27447968 PMCID: PMC5288201 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress is known to play an important role in oral cancer development. In this study we aimed to examine whether a chemical activator of NRF2, sulforaphane (SFN), may have chemopreventive effects on oxidative stress-associated oral carcinogenesis. We first showed that Nrf2 activation and oxidative damage were commonly seen in human samples of oral leukoplakia. With gene microarray and immunostaining, we found 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO) in drink activated the Nrf2 pathway and produced oxidative damage in mouse tongue. Meanwhile whole exome sequencing of mouse tongue identified mutations consistent with 4NQO's mutagenic profile. Using cultured human oral keratinocytes and 4NQO-treated mouse tongue, we found that SFN pre-treatment activated the NRF2 pathway and inhibited oxidative damage both in vitro and in vivo. On the contrary, a structural analogue of SFN without the isothiocyanate moiety did not have such effects. In a long-term chemoprevention study using wild-type and Nrf2-/- mice, we showed that topical application of SFN activated the NRF2 pathway, inhibited oxidative damage, and prevented 4NQO-induced oral carcinogenesis in an Nrf2-dependent manner. Our data clearly demonstrate that SFN has chemopreventive effects on oxidative stress-associated oral carcinogenesis, and such effects depend on Nrf2 and the isothiocyanate moiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aixian Lan
- Department of Oral Medicine, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Wenjun Li
- Department of Oral Medicine, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Oral Medicine, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Zhaohui Xiong
- Cancer Research Program, JLC-BBRI, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA
| | - Xinyan Zhang
- Department of Oral Medicine, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Shanshan Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences, Changzhou University, Jiangsu 213164, China
| | - Olesya Palko
- Cancer Research Program, JLC-BBRI, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA
| | - Hao Chen
- Cancer Research Program, JLC-BBRI, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA
| | - Mayanga Kapita
- Cancer Research Program, JLC-BBRI, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA
| | - Justin R Prigge
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Edward E Schmidt
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences, Changzhou University, Jiangsu 213164, China
| | - Zheng Sun
- Department of Oral Medicine, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xiaoxin Luke Chen
- Cancer Research Program, JLC-BBRI, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA
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Dinkova-Kostova AT, Fahey JW, Kostov RV, Kensler TW. KEAP1 and Done? Targeting the NRF2 Pathway with Sulforaphane. Trends Food Sci Technol 2017; 69:257-269. [PMID: 29242678 PMCID: PMC5725197 DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2017.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 01/12/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the re-discovery of sulforaphane in 1992 and the recognition of the bioactivity of this phytochemical, many studies have examined its mode of action in cells, animals and humans. Broccoli, especially as young sprouts, is a rich source of sulforaphane and broccoli-based preparations are now used in clinical studies probing efficacy in health preservation and disease mitigation. Many putative cellular targets are affected by sulforaphane although only one, KEAP1-NRF2 signaling, can be considered a validated target at this time. The transcription factor NRF2 is a master regulator of cell survival responses to endogenous and exogenous stressors. SCOPE AND APPROACH This review summarizes the chemical biology of sulforaphane as an inducer of NRF2 signaling and efficacy as an inhibitor of carcinogenesis. It also provides a summary of the current findings from clinical trials using a suite of broccoli sprout preparations on a series of short-term endpoints reflecting a diversity of molecular actions. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS Sulforaphane, as a pure chemical, protects against chemical-induced skin, oral, stomach, colon, lung and bladder carcinogenesis and in genetic models of colon and prostate carcinogenesis. In many of these settings the antitumorigenic efficacy of sulforaphane is dampened in Nrf2-disrupted animals. Broccoli preparations rich in glucoraphanin or sulforaphane exert demonstrable pharmacodynamic action in over a score of clinical trials. Measures of NRF2 pathway response and function are serving as guideposts for the optimization of dose, schedule and formulation as clinical trials with broccoli-based preparations become more commonplace and more rigorous in design and implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albena T. Dinkova-Kostova
- Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre, Division of Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK
- Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Chemoprotection Center, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jed W. Fahey
- Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Chemoprotection Center, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rumen V. Kostov
- Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre, Division of Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK
| | - Thomas W. Kensler
- Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Chemoprotection Center, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
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Abstract
With the properties of efficacy, safety, tolerability, practicability and low cost, foods containing bioactive phytochemicals are gaining significant attention as elements of chemoprevention strategies against cancer. Sulforaphane [1-isothiocyanato-4-(methylsulfinyl)butane], a naturally occurring isothiocyanate produced by cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, is found to be a highly promising chemoprevention agent against not only a variety of cancers such as breast, prostate, colon, skin, lung, stomach or bladder, but also cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. For reasons of experimental exigency, preclinical studies have focused principally on sulforaphane itself, while clinical studies have relied on broccoli sprout preparations rich in either sulforaphane or its biogenic precursor, glucoraphanin. Substantive subsequent evaluation of sulforaphane pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics has been undertaken using either pure compound or food matrices. Sulforaphane affects multiple targets in cells. One key molecular mechanism of action for sulforaphane entails activation of the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling pathway although other actions contribute to the broad spectrum of efficacy in different animal models. This review summarizes the current status of pre-clinical chemoprevention studies with sulforaphane and highlights the progress and challenges for the application of foods rich in sulforaphane and/or glucoraphanin in the arena of clinical chemoprevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yang
- Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Dushani L Palliyaguru
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Thomas W Kensler
- Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15261.
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Cancer Cell Growth Is Differentially Affected by Constitutive Activation of NRF2 by KEAP1 Deletion and Pharmacological Activation of NRF2 by the Synthetic Triterpenoid, RTA 405. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135257. [PMID: 26301506 PMCID: PMC4547720 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic triterpenoids are antioxidant inflammation modulators (AIMs) that exhibit broad anticancer activity. AIMs bind to KEAP1 and inhibit its ability to promote NRF2 degradation. As a result, NRF2 increases transcription of genes that restore redox balance and reduce inflammation. AIMs inhibit tumor growth and metastasis by increasing NRF2 activity in the tumor microenvironment and by modulating the activity of oncogenic signaling pathways, including NF-κB, in tumor cells. Accumulating evidence suggests that KEAP1 loss or mutation--which results in high levels of sustained NRF2 activity--may promote cancer growth and increase chemoresistance. Loss of KEAP1 also increases the levels of other oncogenic proteins, including IKKβ and BCL2. The apparent survival advantage provided to some tumor cells by loss of functional KEAP1 raises the question of whether pharmacological inhibition of KEAP1 could promote tumor growth. To address this issue, we characterized the basal levels of KEAP1 and NRF2 in a panel of human tumor cell lines and profiled the activity of an AIM, RTA 405. We found that in tumor cell lines with low or mutant KEAP1, and in Keap1-/- murine embryonic fibroblasts, multiple KEAP1 targets including NRF2, IKKβ, and BCL2 were elevated. Keap1-/- murine embryonic fibroblasts also had higher rates of proliferation and colony formation than their wild-type counterparts. In cells with functional KEAP1, RTA 405 increased NRF2 levels, but not IKKβ or BCL2 levels, and did not increase cell proliferation or survival. Moreover, RTA 405 inhibited growth at similar concentrations in cells with different basal NRF2 activity levels and in cells with wild-type or mutant KRAS. Finally, pre-treatment with RTA 405 did not protect tumor cells from doxorubicin- or cisplatin-mediated growth inhibition. Collectively, these data demonstrate that pharmacological activation of NRF2 by AIMs is distinct from genetic activation and does not provide a growth or survival advantage to tumor cells.
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Chen H, Fang Y, Li W, Orlando RC, Shaheen N, Chen XL. NFkB and Nrf2 in esophageal epithelial barrier function. Tissue Barriers 2013; 1:e27463. [PMID: 24790804 PMCID: PMC3943848 DOI: 10.4161/tisb.27463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 12/06/2013] [Accepted: 12/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The stratified squamous epithelium of the esophagus forms a tight protective barrier. Defects of the barrier function contribute to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is manifested as damage to the esophageal epithelium due to exposure to the gastrointestinal refluxate. In this review, we discuss the involvement of NFkB and Nrf2 in esophageal epithelial barrier function. Understanding these molecular pathways in the esophagus may help us develop therapeutic strategies to improve clinical outcomes in patients with GERD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chen
- Cancer Research Program; JLC-BBRI; North Carolina Central University; Durham, NC USA
| | - Yu Fang
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; Chongqing, China
| | - Wenbo Li
- Department of Gastroenterology; General Hospital of Jinan Military Command; Jinan, China
| | - Roy C Orlando
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing; Department of Medicine; University of North Carolina; Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Nicholas Shaheen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing; Department of Medicine; University of North Carolina; Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Xiaoxin Luke Chen
- Cancer Research Program; JLC-BBRI; North Carolina Central University; Durham, NC USA ; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing; Department of Medicine; University of North Carolina; Chapel Hill, NC USA
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Negrette-Guzmán M, Huerta-Yepez S, Tapia E, Pedraza-Chaverri J. Modulation of mitochondrial functions by the indirect antioxidant sulforaphane: a seemingly contradictory dual role and an integrative hypothesis. Free Radic Biol Med 2013; 65:1078-1089. [PMID: 23999506 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2013.08.182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Revised: 08/21/2013] [Accepted: 08/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The chemotherapeutic isothiocyanate sulforaphane (SFN) was early linked to anticarcinogenic and antiproliferative activities. Soon after, this compound, derived from cruciferous vegetables, became an excellent and useful trial for anti-cancer research in experimental models including growth tumor, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Many subsequent reports showed modifications in mitochondrial signaling, functionality, and integrity induced by SFN. When cytoprotective effects were found in toxic and ischemic insult models, seemingly contradictory behaviors of SFN were discovered: SFN was inducing deleterious changes in cancer cell mitochondria that eventually would carry the cell to death via apoptosis and also was protecting noncancer cell mitochondria against oxidative challenge, which prevented cell death. In both cases, SFN exhibited effects on mitochondrial redox balance and phase II enzyme expression, mitochondrial membrane potential, expression of the family of B cell lymphoma 2 homologs, regulation of proapoptotic proteins released from mitochondria, activation/inactivation of caspases, mitochondrial respiratory complex activities, oxygen consumption and bioenergetics, mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, and modulation of some kinase pathways. With the ultimate findings related to the induction of mitochondrial biogenesis by SFN, it could be considered that SFN has effects on mitochondrial dynamics that explain some divergent points. In this review, we list the reports involving effects on mitochondrial modulation by SFN in anti-cancer models as well as in cytoprotective models against oxidative damage. We also attempt to integrate the data into a mechanism explaining the various effects of SFN on mitochondrial function in only one concept, taking into account mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics and making a comparison with the theory of reactive oxygen species threshold of cell death. Our interest is to achieve a complete view of cancer and protective therapies based on SFN that can be extended to other chemotherapeutic compounds with similar characteristics. The work needed to test this hypothesis is quite extensive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Negrette-Guzmán
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Sara Huerta-Yepez
- Unidad de Investigación en Enfermedades Oncológicas, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Edilia Tapia
- Laboratorio de Patología Renal, Departamento de Nefrología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - José Pedraza-Chaverri
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, DF, Mexico.
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Chang CC, Hung CM, Yang YR, Lee MJ, Hsu YC. Sulforaphane induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase via the blockade of cyclin B1/CDC2 in human ovarian cancer cells. J Ovarian Res 2013; 6:41. [PMID: 23799914 PMCID: PMC3733945 DOI: 10.1186/1757-2215-6-41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malignant tumors are the single most common cause of death and the mortality rate of ovarian cancer is the highest among gynecological disorders. The excision of benign tumors is generally followed by complete recovery; however, the activity of cancer cells often results in rapid proliferation even after the tumor has been excised completely. Thus, clinical treatment must be supplemented by auxiliary chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Sulforaphane (SFN) is an extract from the mustard family recognized for its anti-oxidation abilities, phase 2 enzyme induction, and anti-tumor activity. Methods This study investigated the cell cycle arrest in G2/M by SFN and the expression of cyclin B1, Cdc2, and the cyclin B1/CDC2 complex in PA-1 cells using western blotting and co-IP western blotting. Results This study investigated the anticancer effects of dietary isothiocyanate SFN on ovarian cancer, using cancer cells line PA-1. SFN-treated cells accumulated in metaphase by CDC2 down-regulation and dissociation of the cyclin B1/CDC2 complex. Conclusion Our findings suggest that, in addition to the known effects on cancer prevention, SFN may also provide antitumor activity in established ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Chang Chang
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Tainan Sin-Lau Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
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