The Role of Isothiocyanates as Cancer Chemo‐Preventive, Chemo‐Therapeutic and Anti‐Melanoma Agents

Authors

Melina Mitsiogianni, Northumbria UniversityFollow
Georgios Koutsidis, Northumbria UniversityFollow
Nikos Mavroudis, University of ReadingFollow
Dimitrios T. Trafalis, University of AthensFollow
Sotiris Botaitis, Democritus University of ThraceFollow
Rodrigo Franco, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Vasilis Zoumpourlis, National Hellenic Research FoundationFollow
Tom Amery, The Watercress Company/The Wasabi CompanyFollow
Alex Galanis, Democritus University of ThraceFollow
Aglaia Pappa, Democritus University of ThraceFollow
Mihalis I. Panayiotidis, Northumbria UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2019

Citation

Antioxidants 2019, 8, 106

Comments

© 2019 by the authors.

Open access

doi:10.3390/antiox8040106

Abstract

Many studies have shown evidence in support of the beneficial effects of phytochemicals in preventing chronic diseases, including cancer. Among such phytochemicals, sulphur‐containing compounds (e.g., isothiocyanates (ITCs)) have raised scientific interest by exerting unique chemopreventive properties against cancer pathogenesis. ITCs are the major biologically active compounds capable of mediating the anticancer effect of cruciferous vegetables. Recently, many studies have shown that a higher intake of cruciferous vegetables is associated with reduced risk of developing various forms of cancers primarily due to a plurality of effects, including (i) metabolic activation and detoxification, (ii) inflammation, (iii) angiogenesis, (iv) metastasis and (v) regulation of the epigenetic machinery. In the context of human malignant melanoma, a number of studies suggest that ITCs can cause cell cycle growth arrest and also induce apoptosis in human malignant melanoma cells. On such basis, ITCs could serve as promising chemo‐therapeutic agents that could be used in the clinical setting to potentiate the efficacy of existing therapies.