Compounds in Red Wine and Green Tea Inhibit Growth of Prostate Cancer Cells

Cancer researchers have identified a molecular pathway in cancer cells that is inhibited by compounds found in both red wine and green tea.

Investigators at the Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (Toulouse, France) worked with human prostate cancer cells growing both in vitro and in a mouse exograft system. They reported in the June 3, 2010, online edition of the FASEB Journal that dietary agents, namely, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), resveratrol (from red wine), or a mixture of polyphenols from green tea impeded prostate cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

They showed that at the molecular level these compounds worked by inhibiting the SphK1/S1P (sphingosine kinase-1/sphingosine 1-phosphate) pathway. This pathway previously had been associated with cancer promotion, progression, and resistance to treatments in a number of cancers.

Dr. Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of the FASEB Journal (Palo Alto, CA, USA) said, "Not only does SphK1/S1P signaling pathway play a role in prostate cancer, but it also plays a role in other cancers, such as colon cancer, breast cancer, and gastric cancers. Even if future studies show that drinking red wine and green tea is not as effective in humans as we hope, knowing that the compounds in those drinks disrupts this pathway is an important step toward developing drugs that hit the same target. The profound impact that the antioxidants in red wine and green tea have on our bodies is more than anyone would have dreamt just 25 years ago. As long as they are taken in moderation, all signs show that red wine and green tea may be ranked among the most potent health foods we know.”

Related Links:
Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale
The FASEB Journal