关键词: 饮食植物非营养成分, 信号途径, 功能性食品, 核因子κB

Abstract:

Natural phytochemicals (Phc) derived from dietary sources or medicinal plants have gained extensive recognition in potential protection and clinical applications for human health. Fruits and vegetables are abundant sources of highly effective phytochemicals for functional foods, which exert anti-cancer functions by inhibiting the process of carcinogenesis through the upregulation of cytoprotective genes encoding carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, cytokines and regulation networks of immunity. Plenty of studies have proved that the mechanisms include the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, or the inhibition of signal transduction pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), protein kinase C (PKC), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), Toll-like receptors (TLRs), abnormal cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), activator protein-1 (AP-1), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). Effectiveness of chemopreventive agents can reflect their capability to counteract certain upstream signals that result in genotoxic damage, redox imbalance and cellular stress. NF- κ B and AP-1 provide mechanistic links among inflammation, immunity regulation and cancer. Thus, the complexity is due to cell signaling cascades and their cross-talks. Abnormality in MAPK pathway and/or related downstream transcription factors might cause the replication of uncontrolled cells and the transformation of malignant cells. Therefore, the inhibition of these pathways will provide an effective strategy for the prevention and treatment of cancer.