EGCG and Pancreatic Cancer
Front Biosci. 2008 Jan 1;13:440-52
EGCG inhibits growth, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis of pancreatic cancer.Shankar S, Ganapathy S, Hingorani SR, Srivastava RK.Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, Tyler, Texas 75703, USA.
We have shown that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a polyphenolic compound from green tea, inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells. However, the preclinical potential of EGCG in a suitable mouse model has not been examined. In this study, we examined the molecular mechanisms by which EGCG inhibited growth, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis of human pancreatic cancer cells in a xenograft model system. EGCG inhibited viability, capillary tube formation and migration of HUVEC, and these effects were further enhanced in the presence of an ERK inhibitor. In vivo, AsPC-1 xenografted tumors treated with EGCG showed significant reduction in volume, proliferation (Ki-67 and PCNA staining), angiogenesis (vWF, VEGF and CD31) and metastasis (MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9 and MMP-12) and induction in apoptosis (TUNEL), caspase-3 activity and growth arrest (p21/WAF1). EGCG also inhibited circulating endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGF-R2) positive endothelial cells derived from xenografted mice. Tumor samples from EGCG treated mice showed significantly reduced ERK activity, and enhanced p38 and JNK activities. Overall, our data suggest that EGCG inhibits pancreatic cancer growth, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis, and thus could be used for the management of pancreatic cancer prevention and treatment.
“The findings of this study are a huge step in the direction of a lifestyle interventions that can be used on an individual basis for specific chronic diseases. After reading this the evidence continues to compile for consuming wholesome EGCG’s on a daily basis. I get mine from GreenTeaHP! ” – Josh Smith