Resveratrol inhibits pancreatic cancer stem cell properties

An article published on January 31, 2011 in the journal PLoS One reports that resveratrol, an antioxidant compound found in grapes and other plant foods, can modify the characteristics of pancreatic cancer stem cells, which could help prevent the development of the disease. 

In their introduction, Sharmila Shankar and colleagues at the University of Kansas Medical Center note that malignancies contain a small amount of tumor-forming cancer stem cells that are not destroyed by current chemotherapeutic drugs.  Although resveratrol has shown anticancer effects, the compound’s effects on pancreatic cancer stem cells had not been evaluated.

The researchers discovered a dose-dependent inhibitory effect for resveratrol on the viability of human pancreatic cancer stem cells in culture.  Resveratrol also reduced the growth of stem cell colonies, indicating an inhibitory effect for the compound on the cells’ ability to self-renew.  Furthermore, resveratrol was demonstrated to induce apoptosis in the cancer stem cells, inhibit transcription factors required for maintaining the cells’ pluripotency, and suppress a drug resistance gene.

When resveratrol was administered to KrasG12D mice that are bred to develop spontaneous tumors of the pancreas, the compound reduced the tumors’ growth and development.  Resveratrol was shown to completely eradicate pancreatic cancer stem cells in the mice after ten months of treatment.  An inhibitory effect for resveratrol on the self-renewal capacity of pancreatic cancer stem cells isolated from untreated mice was also observed.

“Our study demonstrates, for the first time, that cancer preventive agent resveratrol can inhibit the self-renewal capacity of pancreatic cancer stem cells derived from human primary tumors and KrasG12D mice in vitro,” the authors write. “We were unable to observe any pancreatic cancer stem cells in KrasG12D mice treated with resveratrol.”

“These data suggest that resveratrol can be used for the prevention and/or treatment of pancreatic cancer,” they conclude.

How to avoid pancreatic cancer

They’re called “trace” elements for a reason. Tiny amounts of the right stuff can boost your health and save your life. While even a drop of the wrong stuff can end it.

Now, the latest research shows how these same trace elements can play a major role in your risk of getting or avoiding one of the deadliest forms of cancer on the planet — the pancreatic cancer that’s claimed Steve Jobs, Luciano Pavarotti and Patrick Swayze in recent years.

Let’s start with the good stuff: selenium and nickel.

Selenium is already a proven cancer-beater, and it can almost guarantee that you won’t get pancreatic cancer: It can slash your risk by 95 percent, according to the study in Gut.

The best source of selenium is Brazil nuts — but since it’s generally hard to get from diet alone, either take a supplement or make sure it’s included in your multivitamin.

Nickel didn’t quite pack the same punch — but it still managed to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer by a third, according to an analysis of toenail clippings in 518 people, including 118 who had pancreatic cancer.

Yes, toenail clippings — and while that might sound a little bizarre, that’s actually one of the best ways to measure trace elements… including the ones you already know you should avoid.

We all recognize how dangerous lead is, for example — but the new study finds yet another reason to steer clear: a 600 percent boost in pancreatic cancer risk. Cadmium, another heavy metal, boosted the odds by 350 percent, while arsenic doubled the risk of the disease.

Now, you might not think those last three are worth worrying about. You’re avoiding them already, right?

Don’t be so sure.

All three, for example, can be found in cigarettes. In some areas, they’ve been found in the groundwater. And arsenic and lead have been turning up in apple juice, according to recent tests from Consumer Reports.

Arsenic might even be in your chicken dinner. Until recently, it was considered perfectly acceptable to add arsenic to chickenfeed — in part because poisoning chickens gives their meat that “healthy” pink glow consumers love so much.

The FDA recently issued a temporary ban on the main source of arsenic in chickenfeed — but the poultry industry has been aggressively lobbying for its return, and no one would be too surprised if they got their way on this.

Call it one more reason to go organic.

Pancreatic Cancer Treatment that Works

Substances found in green tea and high fiber foods have been found highly effective in the treatment and prevention of pancreatic cancer, an extremely virulent form of disease with few effective treatments. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Any indication of an effective preventive and treatment is very good news.

A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer generally comes only in its late stages since there are few noticeable symptoms during the early period of the disease. Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive an average of only 10 months following diagnosis. One of every 36 men will contract the disease in his lifetimes. For women, the incidence is one in every 195.

Green tea displays potent action against pancreatic cancer

In new research  from  the University of Kansas Medical Center, scientists have found that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an active catechin found in green tea, inhibits pancreatic cancer tumor growth through various mechanisms.  These  include  its ability to stop tumors from setting up their own blood supply, through a process known as angiogenesis, and metastasis.

Scientists from several institutions in Europe have identified two other catechins from green tea, epicatechin gallate (ECG) and catechin gallate (CG) that exhibit potent anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory activities on pancreatic cancer cells.

Researchers at Ohio State University studied the ability of  EGCG to down regulate oncogenic proteins in pancreatic cancer cells.  They found that EGCG  induces degradation of cancer promoting proteins, resulting in anti-proliferation.

Other scientists from Ohio have identified the mechanisms by which EGCG induces growth arrest of pancreatic cancer cells at an early phase of the cell cycle.

Researchers at the University of Texas Science Center studied the effects of  (EGCG) from green tea in a mouse model to examine the molecular mechanisms by which EGCG inhibits growth, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis  in grafted human pancreatic cancer cells.  They concluded that EGCG significantly reduced volume, proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis, and induced apoptosis (the appropriate planned death of cells) and growth arrest.

Both catechins, and inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), a compound found in high-fiber foods, have been shown to prevent the growth of cancer cells when administered as single therapeutic agents against a number of cancers. In research done at West Virginia University, researchers hypothesized that alone and in combination, catechin and IP6 would be effective against pancreatic cancer. After studying pancreatic cancer cell lines treated with catechin, IP6, and a combination of the two, they found that catehin and IP6 significantly inhibited the proliferation of  cell growth compared to each administered separately. In another cell line, growth was inhibited by each agent alone compared to controls. An increase in apoptosis was attributed to catechin therapy in both cell lines, while the combination of these agents also increased early apoptotic activity. Vascular endothelial growth was reduced by IP6 in both cell lines compared to controls.

Specialized flavonoids are highly beneficial against disease

The catechins found in green tea are polyphenols belonging to the flavonoid family. They have also been shown to significantly reduce the risk of ovarian and colorectal cancer. Along with their cancer fighting abilities, catechins are highly antioxidant and have antibacterial, antiviral, and other health enhancing properties. EGCG is the most abundant and most studied catechin in green tea. It has been shown in tests to be able to penetrate the body’s cells and shield DNA. Significant amounts of catechins are also found in chocolate..

IP6 is a naturally occurring carbohydrate found in substantial amounts in whole grains, dried beans, nuts, seeds, rice, wheat germ and corn. It has been shown effective against a variety of cancers. In addition to the arresting of cell proliferation noted in the pancreatic cancer study, IP6 induces the differentiation of malignant cells. The more differentiated the malignant cells, the less aggressive and dangerous is the cancer. IP6 displays antioxidant and immunity enhancing properties which also contribute to tumor cell destruction.

Drinking two or three cups of green tea a day is the best way to provide the full range of its catechins. Supplements of whole leaf green tea are also available, as are extracts of ECGC. Supplemental IP6 is also available from health stores and online.

New Study Shows Effects of Medicinal Mushroom Extract on Pancreatic Cancer Cells

SAN FRANCISCO, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — A study published in the June issue of the International Journal of Oncology found that Poria Triterpine Extract (PTE), a mixture of triterpines from Poria cocos, a medicinal mushroom used in traditional Asian medicine, suppress the proliferation of human pancreatic cancer cell lines.

Pancreatic cancer has some of the poorest survival rates among all types of cancer. It is rarely diagnosed early enough for successful intervention, and complete remissions are extremely rare.

The research was led by Dan Sliva, Ph.D., and performed at the Cancer Research Laboratory at Methodist Research Institute, Indiana University Health. Isaac Eliaz, MD, LAc, the director of Amitabha Medical Clinic & Healing Center, coauthored the study as part of his ongoing research into adjunctive anticancer therapies.

“This is truly a groundbreaking study that could make a significant impact on the treatment of pancreatic cancer, the fourth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States,” said Dr. Eliaz. “This is a particularly devastating disease, with a survival rate of about 5 percent over five years. With this study, we have made a great deal of progress toward potentially using PTE to treat pancreatic cancer.”

According to the study, the anti-proliferative effects of PTE on BxPc-3 cells, a primary human pancreatic tumor cell line, are mediated by the cell cycle arrest at the G(0) /G(1) phase, the resting phase where the cell has left the cell growth cycle and has stopped dividing. DNA microarray analysis also demonstrated that PTE significantly down-regulates the expression of KRAS, a tissue signaling protein that acts as an “on switch” for cancer cell propagation, as well as matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), an enzyme involved in physiological functions and disease progression such as cancer metastasis.

Additionally, the study found that PTE suppresses the invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells, which was associated with the reduction of MMP-7. In analysis, the gene silencing of MMP-7, which also suppressed the invasiveness of the pancreatic cancer cells, further confirmed this conclusion.

As a result of the study, researchers found that PTE outperformed pachymic acid, a single derivative of Poria cocos. Further studies are now in progress to investigate the exact mechanism of the inhibition of MMP-7 expression and further evaluation of the anticancer and anti-metastatic activity of PTE.

Dr. Eliaz, MD, MS, LAc, has coauthored a number of peer-reviewed scientific studies on natural formulations against cancer, heavy metal toxicity and chronic illness. Amitabha Medical Clinic & Healing Center is an integrative medical clinic in Santa Rosa, California, that focuses on treating patients with cancer and chronic illnesses. To learn more, visit http://www.amitabhaclinic.com.

Source: Cheng S, Eliaz I, Lin J, Sliva D. Triterpenes from Poria cocos suppress growth and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells through the downregulation of MMP-7. Int J Oncol. 2013 Jun;42(6):1869-74. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2013.1902. Epub 2013 Apr 16.

SOURCE Better Health Publishing

/CONTACT: Better Health Publishing, 707-583-8619, info@betterhealthpublishing.com

/Web site: http://www.amitabhaclinic.com