Researchers are attempting to understand how the compound EGCG the major polyphenol found in green tea, targets the cancer cells. Joshua Lambert, Penn State professor of Food Science explains that the research just reported in the online journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, shows that EGCG triggers a process in the mitochondria of cancer cells that leads to cell death. The EGCG did not cause this reaction in normal cells. In fact, it appeared to increase the protective capabilities of the cell.
In this study the researchers studied normal human oral cells and oral cancer cells to determine how EGCG affected cancer cells in a way that they did not affect normal cells. They grew the normal and cancer cells in the lab, and then exposed them to EGCG. Oxidative stress and antioxidant markers were measured. “We also took a lot of pictures, so we could use fluorescent dyes that measure mitochondrial function and oxidative stress and actually see these things develop,” said Dr. Lambert.
A protein called sirtuin 3 — SIRT3 was found to be important in this process. “It plays an important role in mitochondrial function and in anti-oxidant response in lots of tissues in the body, so the idea that EGCG might selectively affect the activity of sirtuin 3 in cancer cells — to turn it off — and in normal cells — to turn it on — is probably applicable in multiple kinds of cancers,” Dr. Lambert said.
The study builds on earlier research on how EGCG affected oral cancer, which kills 8,000 people per year in the United States .
The researchers hope to create anti-cancer treatments that are effective without the harmful side effects.
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