Molecular targets of dietary agents for prevention and therapy of cancer

Area of Science:

• * Nutritional Biochemistry
• * Molecular Oncology
• * Phytochemistry

Background:

• * Fruits and vegetables are linked to disease prevention, but their molecular mechanisms are not fully understood.
• * Targeted cancer monotherapy has limitations due to bypass mechanisms, necessitating combination therapies or multi-pathway agents.
• * Identifying active compounds in foods and their molecular targets is crucial for understanding their therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To review evidence on how agents from fruits and vegetables interfere with multiple cell-signaling pathways.
• * To highlight specific dietary compounds and their molecular targets relevant to cancer prevention and treatment.
• * To underscore the potential of dietary agents as therapeutic interventions.

Main Methods:

• * Comprehensive literature review of research on phytochemicals and their effects on cell signaling.
• * Identification of key active compounds from fruits and vegetables and their associated molecular targets.
• * Analysis of studies demonstrating the multi-pathway inhibitory effects of these compounds.

Main Results:

• * Numerous agents from fruits and vegetables, including curcumin, resveratrol, and genistein, modulate critical cell-signaling pathways.
• * Specific examples, like curcumin, inhibit pathways such as NF-kappaB, STAT3, Akt, and MAPK.
• * Identified active principles and modulated molecular targets provide a basis for the preventive and therapeutic roles of these dietary agents.

Conclusions:

• * Dietary agents from fruits and vegetables possess the ability to interfere with multiple cell-signaling pathways.
• * These compounds show promise for both preventing and treating cancer and other diseases.
• * The findings support the concept of 'food as medicine' for health and disease management.