Cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli, may prevent cancer through anticarcinogenic compounds. For example, broccoli contains isothiocyanates that induce carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes. Glutathione transferase enzymes conjugate isothiocyanates, leading to excretion. We hypothesized that broccoli consumption in combination with the glutathione transferase M1 (GSTM1) null genotype would be a...

Glucosinolates are a diverse class of nitrogenand sulfur-containing secondary metabolites. They are rapidly hydrolyzed on tissue disruption to a number of biologically active compounds that are increasingly attracting interest as anticarcinogenic phytochemicals and crop protectants. Several glucosinolate-derived isothiocyanates are potent chemopreventive agents that favorably modulate carcinoge...

Natural isothiocyanates, derived from glucosinolates by myrosinase-catalyzed hydrolysis, are potent chemopreventive agents that favorably modify carcinogen metabolism in mammals by inhibiting metabolic activation of carcinogens and/or by inducing carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes. Methylsulfinylalkyl isothiocyanates are potent selective inducers of mammalian Phase 2 detoxification enzymes such as ...

Dietary behavior seems to be an important modifiable determinant for the risk of cancer. The evidences from several epidemiological studies suggest that higher intakes of fruits and vegetables have been associated with lower risk of cancer. Dietary phenolic and polyphenolic substances, terpenoids, dietary fibers, fish oils, some micronutrients present in foods of both plant and animal origin, a...

Cigarette smoking is the major cause of lung cancer in humans. The continuous increase in the prevalence of cigarette smoking worldwide demands a practical means to circumvent this serious health problem. Our research has focused on the development of new chemopreventive agents against lung carcinogenicity of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4(methylnitrosamino)-l-(3-pyridyl)-l-butanone. Severa...

PURPOSE Melanoma is the most invasive and deadly form of skin cancer. Few agents are available for treating advanced disease to enable long-term patient survival, which is driving the search for new compounds inhibiting deregulated pathways causing melanoma. Akt3 is an important target in melanomas because its activity is increased in approximately 70% of tumors, decreasing apoptosis in order t...

Consumption of glucosinolate-rich Brassicales vegetables is associated with a decreased risk of cancer with enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolates playing a key role. However, formation of health-promoting isothiocyanates is inhibited by the epithiospecifier protein in favour of nitriles and epithionitriles. Domestic processing conditions, such as changes in pH value, temperature or dilution, m...