Hebbie Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Laminin receptor mediates anticancer effects of green tea Reuters Health Posting Date: March 15, 2004 Last Updated: 2004-03-15 14:45:13 -0400 (Reuters Health) NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Multiple studies in recent years link consumption of green tea to decreased risk of human disease, including many forms of cancer. Now, scientists in Japan reveal evidence that the 67-kDa laminin receptor (67-LR) mediates this effect. The investigators explain that the laminin receptor is expressed on several types of tumor cells, and its expression level "strongly correlates with the risk of tumor invasion and metastasis." Previous research has identified green tea's major polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), as it active antitumorigenic component (see Reuters Health report, October 17 2003). Dr. Hirofumi Tachibana and colleagues at Kyushu University in Fukuoka found that all-trans-retinoic acid enhances EGCG binding to the 67-LR on the surface of cancer cells. According to their report in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, published online March 14, EGCG at a plasma concentration equivalent to that achieved after drinking two or three cups of green tea inhibited growth of lung cancer cells transfected with the 67-LR gene. Adding laminin or an antibody to 67-LR to the mix reduced EGCG's binding affinity. "Increasing the expression of (67-LR) may confer a much higher EGCG potency, similar to the effect of a tumor suppressor gene," Dr. Tachibana's group concludes. "Characterizing the mechanisms by which EGG acts through this 67-LR should help in the design of new strategies to prevent cancer." Nat Struct Mol Biol 2004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 Thank you--I have passed the information along. Melinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hebbie Posted March 22, 2004 Author Share Posted March 22, 2004 This article seems to explain it a little better for us "common folk"!! Green Tea's Cancer-Fighting Target Found Antioxidant in Green Tea Slows Tumor Growth By Jennifer Warner WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD on Monday, March 15, 2004 March 15, 2004 -- A powerful antioxidant found in green tea may be responsible for the beverage's heralded anticancer benefits. New research shows that the antioxidant, known as EGCG, binds to a protein found on tumor cells and dramatically slows their growth. Researchers say previous studies have shown that green tea helps protect against a variety of cancers, such as lung, prostate, and breast, but the mechanisms for these effects are not known. In the study, published in the April issue of Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, researchers identified a potential target for the antitumor action of EGCG on human lung cancer cells that inhibited cancer cells' growth. By learning more about this target, researcher may be able to develop new treatments that maximize green tea's cancer-fighting potential. Explaining Green Tea's Anticancer Benefits In order to better understand how the antioxidants found in green tea may protect against cancer, researchers looked at how they affected a protein found on the surface of cancer cells called laminin receptor. The study showed that when cancer cells with this protein were treated with polyphenol EGCG, the growth of the tumor cells was significantly reduced. Researchers say the concentration of the antioxidant required to produce these anticancer effects was equivalent to those found in the body after drinking only two to three cups of green tea. Other components found in green tea, including caffeine, had no effect on tumor cell growth. Researchers say the results further the understanding of how antioxidants interact with cancer cells and may one day lead to more effective cancer therapies that use green tea as a dietary cancer treatment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE: Tachibana, H. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, April 2004; vol 11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 Does anyone know if the capsule form of green tea is as effective? I was having trouble drinking enough tea, so I began taking green tea in capsule form. Just wondeirng Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 Good question Elaine...I hope someone knows. Hebbie- Thanks for the second post. I truly was unable to understand the first one . Deciphering the scientific jargon is not my forté. Are you drinking green tea each day???? How much??? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chloesmom Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 I don't know if this is the right answer or not but here's what I do----I bought the capsules at the health food store because I just didn't like the taste of brewed green tea----they are 315 mg each. Dosage on the bottle is 1 capsule a day--I'm taking 2--one in the morning and one in the evening----like I said I don't know if it's enough or not, but that's what I'm doing until I hear something more definite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 I take 600 mg capsule form of green tea. I recently read that it is more effective if you drink lots of water, which I hadn't been doing. That's all I know and I know it's not much, so would like to hear from others. Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hebbie Posted March 23, 2004 Author Share Posted March 23, 2004 Tiny, To answer your question, yes, I have been drinking green tea. I generally have 2-3 cups a day. My favorite brand is "Numi - Gunpowder Green Tea". It's organic and I love the taste!! As far as supplements, I'm not sure how the effectiveness rates against actual tea drinking, but I'm sure I can research it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen335 Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 Hebbie, Thank you for sharing. I am so glad you are into all these health foods hebbie. It sure has been good for me. Please keep us posted on all you find out and learn about everything. You are truly a source of information for the healthfoods... God Bless, Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.