Apoptosis as a Mechanism of the Cancer Chemopreventive Activity of Glucosinolates: a Review

Abstract

Cruciferous vegetables are a rich source of glucosinolates that have established anti-carcinogenic activity.<br />Naturally-occurring glucosinolates and their derivative isothiocyanates (ITCs), generated as a result of their enzymatic<br />degradation catalysed by myrosinase, have been linked to low cancer incidence in epidemiological studies, and in<br />animal models isothiocyanates suppressed chemically-induced tumorigenesis. The prospective effect of isothiocyanates<br />as anti-carcinogenic agent has been much explored as cytotoxic against wide array of cancer cell lines and being<br />explored for the development of new anticancer drugs. However, the mechanisms of isothiocyanates in inducing<br />apoptosis against tumor cell lines are still largely disregarded. A number of mechanisms are believed to be involved<br />in the glucosinolate-induced suppression of carcinogenesis, including the induction of apoptosis, biotransformation of<br />xenobiotic metabolism, oxidative stress, alteration of caspase activity, angiogenesis, histone deacytylation and cell cycle<br />arrest. The molecular mechanisms through which isothiocyanates stimulate apoptosis in cancer cell lines have not so<br />far been clearly defined. This review summarizes the underlying mechanisms through which isothiocyanates modify<br />the apoptotic pathway leading to cell death.