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Review
. 2017 Sep 25;18(10):2050.
doi: 10.3390/ijms18102050.

Molecular Mechanisms and Pathways as Targets for Cancer Prevention and Progression with Dietary Compounds

Nagisa Nosrati  1   2 , Marica Bakovic  3 , Gopinadhan Paliyath  4
Affiliations
Review

Molecular Mechanisms and Pathways as Targets for Cancer Prevention and Progression with Dietary Compounds

Nagisa Nosrati et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

A unique feature of bioactive food ingredients is their broad antioxidant function. Antioxidants having a wide spectrum of chemical structure and activity beyond basic nutrition; display different health benefits by the prevention and progression of chronic diseases. Functional food components are capable of enhancing the natural antioxidant defense system by scavenging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, protecting and repairing DNA damage, as well as modulating the signal transduction pathways and gene expression. Major pathways affected by bioactive food ingredients include the pro-inflammatory pathways regulated by nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), as well as those associated with cytokines and chemokines. The present review summarizes the importance of plant bioactives and their roles in the regulation of inflammatory pathways. Bioactives influence several physiological processes such as gene expression, cell cycle regulation, cell proliferation, cell migration, etc., resulting in cancer prevention. Cancer initiation is associated with changes in metabolic pathways such as glucose metabolism, and the effect of bioactives in normalizing this process has been provided. Initiation and progression of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) which increase the chances of developing of colorectal cancers can be downregulated by plant bioactives. Several aspects of the potential roles of microRNAs and epigenetic modifications in the development of cancers have also been presented.

Keywords: antioxidants; bioactive food ingredients; cancer; cell cycle; cell migration; epigenetic modifications; inflammation; inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD); inflammatory pathways; microRNA.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevention of oxidative stress by antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize ROS related pathways. ROS play important roles in cell signaling, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, adaptation to stress and metabolic adaptation. Raised levels of the ROS could lead to cellular damage and chronic disease development. Antioxidants modulate ROS levels and prevent cell damage through various mechanisms.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The mechanisms used by bioactive nutrients to reduce cancer risk.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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