Scientists in China, Taiwan, and Ohio, USA have created a high-power version of a cabbage-family chemical, which they hope may turn out to be strong enough to fight prostate cancer.

Indole-3-carbinol is a well known product of the breakdown of a compound found in cruciferous vegetables, which are the large family of vegetables that have leaves arranged in a “cross” pattern. Cruciferous vegetables, also called brassicae, include broccoli, bok choy, brussel sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, cauliflower, kale, radish, turnip (greens) and watercress.

Indole-3-carbinol is considered a “promising chemopreventive agent which has shown efficacy against tumors in various tests on animals,” the researchers say.

However, indole-3-carbinol breaks down rapidly in the human digestive system and is too weak to have much impact on existing tumors. It has only “weak antiproliferative potency and is unstable in acidic milieu.”

To make indole-3-carbinol into a more potent antitumor agent with improved chemical stability, the scientists used it to make a chemical called OSU-A9 {[1-(4-chloro-3-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-methanol}, which is acid-proof. The new compound is 100 times more powerful than the original at causing cancer cells to die off by apoptosis (cell suicide).

OSU-A9 appears to target various genes that play key roles in the growth and spread of prostate cancer. It affects “phosphorylation or expression of multiple signaling targets, including Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinases, Bcl-2 family members, survivin, nuclear factor-kB, cyclin D1, p21, and p27. The ability of OSU-A9 to concurrently modulate this broad range of signaling targets underscores its in vitro and in vivo efficacy in prostate cancer cells.”

At the same time OSU-A9 has little affect on normal healthy prostate cell growth. The cells OSU-A9 targets are the PC-3 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Tests in mice for up to 42 days showed a 65% – 85% suppression of tumor growth. “Bad” biomarkers (for levels of phosphorylated (p-) Akt, Bcl-xL, and RelA) fell and “good” biomarkers (p-p38 levels) rose.

“In conclusion, the ability of OSU-A9 to target multiple aspects of cancer cell survival with high potency suggests its clinical value in prostate cancer therapy,” the scientists say.

A caution: According to the Linus Pauling Institute “Very high intakes of cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and turnips, have been found to cause hypothyroidism (insufficient thyroid hormone) in animals.” But except in smokers risk of hypothyroidism has not been seen “unless accompanied by iodine deficiency.” Tests however have been rather inadequate (for example, “One study in humans found that the consumption of 150 g/day (5 oz/day) of cooked Brussels sprouts for four weeks had no adverse effects on thyroid function”). If you increase your consumption of cruciferous vegetables, check with your doctor. A blood test for thyroid hormone level is standard for middle aged people and treatment, if necessary, is inexpensive with a generic drug.

Source

A Potent Indole-3-Carbinol–Derived Antitumor Agent with Pleiotropic Effects on Multiple Signaling Pathways in Prostate Cancer Cells

Jing-Ru Weng et al. Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University; China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; and Division of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Cancer Research 67, 7815-7824, August 15, 2007.