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Epigenetic effects of green tea polyphenols in cancer

Susanne M Henning1, Piwen Wang, Catherine L Carpenter

  • 1Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 900 Veteran Avenue, Warren Hall 14-166, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Epigenomics
|November 29, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Green tea compounds like epigallocatechin gallate may prevent cancer by altering DNA methylation. This review explores green tea's potential to modify epigenetic processes for chemoprevention.

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics and molecular biology
  • Nutritional science and cancer chemoprevention

Background:

  • Epigenetics involves heritable changes in gene expression without altering DNA sequence.
  • DNA methylation (hyper- and hypomethylation) influences gene expression and carcinogenesis.
  • Epigenetic modifications are reversible and potentially targetable by diet.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the potential of green tea (GT) to modify epigenetic processes.
  • To explore the role of GT in cancer chemoprevention through epigenetic mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on green tea, epigenetics, and cancer.
  • Analysis of studies on (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and DNA methyltransferase activity.
  • Examination of animal models and human studies investigating GT consumption and epigenetic markers.

Main Results:

  • (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from green tea alters DNA methyltransferase activity in various cancer cells.
  • Evidence from mouse models suggests EGCG inhibits DNA methylation.
  • Human studies link higher green tea consumption to decreased CDX2 and BMP-2 methylation in gastric cancer.

Conclusions:

  • Green tea possesses potential epigenetic modulatory effects relevant to cancer chemoprevention.
  • Dietary interventions, specifically green tea consumption, may offer a strategy to influence epigenetic processes for cancer prevention.

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