Green tea has been consumed in China for 4,000 years – and according to compelling new research, one of its compounds could be the key to preventing cancer.
It turns on the p53 gene, which has been proven to block tumor development.
Known as the “protector of the genome” for its ability to repair DNA damage and destroy cancer cells, p53 is classified as a tumor suppressor – and if a person inherits only one functional copy of the p53 gene from their parents, they are prone to the disease.
A new study published this month in Nature Communications shows that an antioxidant found in the traditional Chinese drink can increase p53 levels and improve efficiency, say scientists at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.
Studying the direct interaction between p53 and the green tea compound, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), offers hope that a new drug can be created to mimic it.
“Mutations in p53 are found in more than 50% of human cancers,” said Professor Chunyu Wang, the paper’s author, calling it “perhaps the most important protein in human cancer.”
A state-of-the-art scanning technique called nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that EGCG protects the ‘N-terminal domain’ of the cell structure from degradation.
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EGCG is a natural antioxidant, which means it helps reverse the almost constant damage caused by oxygen metabolism. EGCG is found in abundance in green tea and is also packaged as an herbal supplement by many companies.
Wang’s team first identified the specific mechanism – the beneficial interaction between EGCG and p53. “When EGCG binds to p53, the protein is not broken down … so the level of p53 will increase with the direct interaction.”
“That means there is more p53 for the anti-cancer function.”
When p53 is operating at full capacity, it activates DNA repair mechanisms and prevents cells with damaged DNA from dividing. When DNA damage is irreparable, p53 prompts the cell to self-destruct by undergoing apoptosis or programmed cell death.
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Since it is usually turned off in human cancers, reactivation of the protein could potentially be a powerful way to treat the disease in the future.
The findings also shed new light on the benefits of green tea, which has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia and heart attacks. A survey of more than 100,000 elderly Chinese found that those who drank at least three cups of green tea a week were 25 percent less likely to die in the next seven years.
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“By understanding the molecular-level mechanisms that govern key biochemical interactions associated with devastating diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, Chunyu’s research lays the groundwork for new and successful therapies,” said Curt Breneman, dean of de Rensselaer School of Science.
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