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Flavonoids and Other Polyphenols Act as Epigenetic Modifiers in Breast Cancer

Priyanga Selvakumar1, Aja Badgeley1, Paige Murphy1

  • 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jefferson College of Pharmacy, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.

Nutrients
|March 19, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Flavonoids, plant compounds, show anti-cancer effects against breast cancer. Key factors like subtype, menopausal status, and dosage (around 10 mg/day isoflavones) influence their effectiveness, potentially through epigenetic modifications.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Breast cancer arises from genetic mutations and epigenetic alterations.
  • Epidemiological studies suggest an inverse relationship between flavonoid consumption and breast cancer incidence.
  • Flavonoids, plant-derived polyphenolic compounds, are researched for their anti-cancer properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the anti-cancer activity of flavonoids against breast cancer.
  • To identify factors influencing flavonoid efficacy in breast cancer.
  • To explore the epigenetic mechanisms of flavonoid action in breast cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing epidemiological and experimental studies on flavonoids and breast cancer.
  • Analysis of factors such as breast cancer subtype, menopausal status, and dosage.
  • Examination of flavonoid-induced epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and chromatin remodeling.

Main Results:

  • Flavonoids demonstrate anti-cancer activity across diverse ethnic populations with breast cancer.
  • Breast cancer subtype and menopausal status significantly modulate flavonoid anti-cancer effects.
  • An intake of approximately 10 mg/day of isoflavones may inhibit breast cancer occurrence.
  • Specific flavonoids (epigallocatechin, genistein, resveratrol) inhibit DNA methyltransferase and alter chromatin modification.
  • Flavonoids can upregulate tumor suppressor genes, potentially reducing breast cancer progression and metastasis.

Conclusions:

  • Flavonoids possess significant anti-cancer potential against breast cancer, influenced by host and compound-specific factors.
  • Epigenetic modulation, including DNA methylation and chromatin changes, is a key mechanism underlying flavonoid anti-cancer activity.
  • Further research is warranted to confirm the role of flavonoid-induced epigenetic modifications in breast cancer prevention.
Keywords:
Epigeneticsbreast cancerchromatin modificationflavonoidsmethylation

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