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Cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy: dietary polyphenols and signalling pathways

Sonia Ramos1

  • 1Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Instituto del Frío, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas(CSIC), Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain. s.ramos@if.csic.es

Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
|April 26, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Dietary polyphenols show promise as natural agents for cancer prevention and therapy. This review explores their molecular mechanisms in controlling intracellular signaling pathways crucial for cancer intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Dietary interventions are gaining interest for cancer prevention.
  • Dietary polyphenols are recognized as potential chemopreventive and therapeutic natural agents.
  • Polyphenols can interfere with cancer initiation, promotion, and progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the molecular mechanisms underlying the chemopreventive and therapeutic potential of dietary polyphenols.
  • To highlight the role of polyphenols in modulating intracellular signaling cascades relevant to cancer prevention.
  • To elucidate the complex signaling pathways targeted by polyphenols.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on dietary polyphenols and cancer.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms of polyphenol action in cancer-related pathways.
  • Focus on intracellular signaling cascades modulated by polyphenols.

Main Results:

  • Polyphenols modulate key proteins in diverse signaling pathways.
  • They influence cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, inflammation, angiogenesis, and metastasis.
  • Polyphenols integrate multiple signals for chemopreventive effects.

Conclusions:

  • Dietary polyphenols offer a promising strategy for cancer prevention and therapy.
  • Understanding their molecular actions on intracellular signaling is key to harnessing their potential.
  • Further research is needed to fully characterize these complex mechanisms.

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