Ellagic acid (EA) is a phenol with anticancer property found rich in countless
fruits and vegetables (Zhang et al. 2014; González‐Sarrías et al. 2016). Human
colon cancer cells (Caco-2, HT-29, and SW480) that were subjected to EA displayed downregulated oncogenic miR-224 while tumour suppressor miR-215 was
up-regulated. These miRNAs induced facilitated modulation of p53 via p21
accumulation (Munagala et al. 2013). In a different case, EA treatment was conducted on female ACI rats which had been previously exposed to estrogen to
develop mammary tumorigenesis. The observation of this treatment includes
upregulation of miR-182, miR-375, miR-183, miR-34c, miR-196c and miR-429
and downregulation of miR122, miR-127, miR-335, miR-205, and miR-206
expression in tumour cells. The overall inhibition of the tumour was reached with
the modulation of key proteins; ERa, cyclin D1, RASD1, FoxO3a, FoxO1, cyclin
G1, Bcl-w and Bcl-2 (Ravindranath and Chandrasekhara, 1980).
Though there are many phytochemicals which have entered clinical trials for the
treatment of cancer, lower bioavailability and poor potency of dietary
plant-compounds still pose as a great challenge to scientists (Ravindranath et al.
1980; GonzáLez-Barrio et al. 2010). Based on evidence here, phytochemicals are
shown to induce miRNAs in various cancers both in vivo and in vitro (Fig. 4.6).
Hence, the limitation of the bioavailability can be resolved by imitating a synthetic
analog of the miRNA of interest and by encapsulating their formulation into
nanoparticle component. Convincingly, phytochemicals deliver as promising agents
in regulating cancers and with the discovery of corresponding miRNA activities
together with their target gene mechanism that proposes a magnificent future
approach to combat this disease.
Fig. 4.6 Molecular targets of different phytochemicals in curbing various tumour growths/
malignancies through microRNA regulation. The red arrow (") indicates upregulation, yellow
arrow (#) represents downregulation and (*) marks the phytochemical in subject
4 The Role of Phytochemicals in Cancer Prevention and Cure
143
fruits and vegetables (Zhang et al. 2014; González‐Sarrías et al. 2016). Human
colon cancer cells (Caco-2, HT-29, and SW480) that were subjected to EA displayed downregulated oncogenic miR-224 while tumour suppressor miR-215 was
up-regulated. These miRNAs induced facilitated modulation of p53 via p21
accumulation (Munagala et al. 2013). In a different case, EA treatment was conducted on female ACI rats which had been previously exposed to estrogen to
develop mammary tumorigenesis. The observation of this treatment includes
upregulation of miR-182, miR-375, miR-183, miR-34c, miR-196c and miR-429
and downregulation of miR122, miR-127, miR-335, miR-205, and miR-206
expression in tumour cells. The overall inhibition of the tumour was reached with
the modulation of key proteins; ERa, cyclin D1, RASD1, FoxO3a, FoxO1, cyclin
G1, Bcl-w and Bcl-2 (Ravindranath and Chandrasekhara, 1980).
Though there are many phytochemicals which have entered clinical trials for the
treatment of cancer, lower bioavailability and poor potency of dietary
plant-compounds still pose as a great challenge to scientists (Ravindranath et al.
1980; GonzáLez-Barrio et al. 2010). Based on evidence here, phytochemicals are
shown to induce miRNAs in various cancers both in vivo and in vitro (Fig. 4.6).
Hence, the limitation of the bioavailability can be resolved by imitating a synthetic
analog of the miRNA of interest and by encapsulating their formulation into
nanoparticle component. Convincingly, phytochemicals deliver as promising agents
in regulating cancers and with the discovery of corresponding miRNA activities
together with their target gene mechanism that proposes a magnificent future
approach to combat this disease.
Fig. 4.6 Molecular targets of different phytochemicals in curbing various tumour growths/
malignancies through microRNA regulation. The red arrow (") indicates upregulation, yellow
arrow (#) represents downregulation and (*) marks the phytochemical in subject
4 The Role of Phytochemicals in Cancer Prevention and Cure
143