Sulforaphane from Cruciferous Vegetables: Recent Advances to Improve Glioblastoma Treatment

Abstract

Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate (ITC) derived from cruciferous vegetables, particularly broccoli and broccoli sprouts, has been widely investigated due to its promising health-promoting properties in disease, and low toxicity in normal tissue. Although not yet fully understood, many mechanisms of anticancer activity at each step of cancer development have been attributed to this ITC. Given the promising data available regarding SFN, this review aimed to provide an overview on the potential activities of SFN related to the cellular mechanisms involved in glioblastoma (GBM) progression. GBM is the most frequent malignant brain tumor among adults and is currently an incurable disease due mostly to its highly invasive phenotype, and the poor efficacy of the available therapies. Despite all efforts, the median overall survival of GBM patients remains approximately 1.5 years under therapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide support for translating the progress in understanding the molecular background of GBM into more complex, but promising therapeutic strategies, in which SFN may find a leading role.

Keywords: apoptosis; chemoprevention; glioblastoma multiforme; sulforaphane.

Figure 1

Chemical structures of (a) isothiocyanates (ITCs) and (b) sulforaphane (SFN).

Figure 2

Summary of the multiple signaling pathways of SFN in glioblastoma (GBM). SFN may induce apoptosis through endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) stress, or through the inhibition of survival signals and promotion of pro-apoptotic molecules. SFN is also able to reduce tumor invasiveness and to counteract chemoresistance.