Pancreatic Cancer and Resveratrol

[HysteryDiagnosis]

http://www.lef.org/whatshot/2008_03.htm#Resveratrol

Promising future predicted for resveratrol

An article published in the March, 2008 issue of Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology reported that resveratrol, an antioxidant compound occurring in red grape skins and wine, aids in the destruction of pancreatic cancer cells by impairing mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are organelles within the cell that supply them with energy. By disrupting the mitochondria of cancer cells, energy is no longer readily available, which results in cell death.

Paul Okunieff, MD and his associates at the University of Rochester Medical Center pretreated pancreatic cancer cells with 50 mg/ml resveratrol before exposing them to ionizing radiation. A second group of cells received radiation therapy alone. The researchers found that cancer cells treated with resveratrol experienced an increase in destructive reactive oxygen species, which are the likeliest cause of the apoptosis (programmed cell death) observed. Additionally, mitochondrial membrane polarization was greater in the resveratrol-treated cells, which reduces the cells' ability to function.

The ability of the pancreas to pump out digestive enzymes also removes drugs from its cells, which explains the resistance of pancreatic cancer to chemotherapy. Dr Okunieff's team found that cell membrane proteins that are responsible for pumping chemotherapy out of the cells underwent a decline in function in cells treated with resveratrol, rendering them more sensitive to drug treatment.

In another article in the same issue of the journal, Dr Okunieff and his colleagues reviewed why resveratrol protects normal tissue. "Antioxidant research is very active and very seductive right now," Dr Okunieff commented. "The challenge lies in finding the right concentration and how it works inside the cell. In this case, we've discovered an important part of that equation. Resveratrol seems to have a therapeutic gain by making tumor cells more sensitive to radiation and making normal tissue less sensitive."

"While additional studies are needed," Okunieff said, "this research indicates that resveratrol has a promising future as part of the treatment for cancer."

[Peregrine Took]

1. Very interesting - thanks for posting.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Got a real winner on hereditary heart disease coming up shortly.