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dkrupa@the-aps.org
Ingredient Found In Green
Tea Significantly Inhibits Breast
Cancer Growth In Female Mice
SAN DIEGO, CA — Green tea is high in the
antioxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-
gallate) which helps prevent the
body’s cells from becoming damaged and prematurely aged. Studies have
suggested that the combination of green tea and EGCG may also be
beneficial by providing protection against certain types of cancers,
including breast cancer. A new study conducted by researchers at the
University of Mississippi researchers now finds that consuming EGCG
significantly inhibits breast tumor growth in female mice. These results
bring us one step closer to better understanding the disease and potentially
new and naturally occurring therapies.
The study was conducted by Jian-Wei Gu, Emily Young,
Jordan Covington, James Wes Johnson, and Wei Tan, all of the Department of
Physiology & Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson,
MS. Dr. Gu will present his team’s findings, entitled, Oral
Administration of EGCG, an Antioxidant Found in Green Tea, Inhibits Tumor
Angiogenesis and Growth of Breast Cancer in Female Mice, at the 121st
Annual Meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS;
www.the-APS.org/press), part of the Experimental Biology 2008 scientific
conference.
The Study
Epidemiological studies suggest that green tea and its
major constituent, EGCG, can provide some protection against cancer. Because
these studies were very limited, the anti-cancer mechanism of green tea and
EGCG was not clear. As a result, the researchers examined whether drinking
EGCG (just the antioxidant infused in water) inhibited the following:
expression of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor, which is found in
a variety of breast cancer types); tumor angiogenesis (thought to help tumors expand by supplying them with nutrients);
and the growth of breast cancer in female mice.
Seven week old female mice were given EGCG (25 mg/50
ml) in drinking water for five weeks (approximately 50-100 mg/kg/day.) The
control mice received regular drinking water. In the second week of the
study mouse breast cancer cells were injected in the left fourth mammary
glands of the mice. Tumor size was monitored by measuring the tumor cross
section area (TCSA). Tumors were eventually isolated and measured for tumor
weight, intratumoral microvessel (IM) density (using staining), and VEGF
protein levels (using ELISA).
At the end of the five week period the researchers
found that oral consumption of EGCG caused significant decreases in TCSA
(66%), tumor weight (68%), IM density 155±6 vs.111±20 IM#mm^2) and VEGF
protein levels (59.0±3.7 vs. 45.7±1.4 pg/mg) in the breast tumors vs. the
control mice, respectively (N=8; P<0.01). Further, VEGF plasma levels were
lower in EGCG mice than in control mice (40.8±3.5 vs. 26.5±3.8 pg/ml P<
0.01).
Dr. Gu, the senior researcher for the study,
hypothesized that the reason for the link between EGCG and the reductions in
the cancer data was because EGCG directly targets both tumor blood vessels
and tumor cells of breast cancer for suppressing the new blood vessels
formation in breast tumor, the proliferation and migration of breast cancer
cells.
Gu concluded by saying, “In this study we have
demonstrated that the frequent ingestion of EGCG significantly inhibits
breast tumor growth, VEGF expression and tumor angiogenesis in mice.
We believe our findings will help lead to new therapies for the
prevention and treatment of breast cancer in women.”
Physiology
is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function to create
health or disease. The American Physiological Society (APS;
www.The-APS.org/press) has been an integral part of this discovery
process since it was established in 1887.
# # #
NOTE TO EDITORS: The APS annual meeting is part
of the Experimental Biology 2008 (EB ’08) gathering and will be held April
5-9, 2008 at the San Diego, CA Convention Center. To schedule an interview
with Dr. Gu please contact Donna Krupa at 301.634.7209 (office),
703.967.2751 (cell) or
DKrupa@the-APS.org.
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