Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #227868

Title: Inhibition of growth and induction of differentiation of colon cancer cells by peach and plum phenolic compounds

Author
item LEA, MICHAEL - UMDNJ, NEWARK, NJ
item IBEH, CHINWE - UMDNJ, NEWARK, NJ
item DESBORDES, CHARLES - MEC-CITY UNIV OF NY
item VIZZOTTO, MARCIA - ECT, PELOTAS, RS, BR
item CISNEROS-ZEVALLOS, LUIS - TEXAS A&M
item BYRNE, DAVID - TEXAS A&M
item Okie, William
item MOYER, MARY - INCELL CORP, SAN ANTONIO

Submitted to: Anticancer Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/10/2008
Publication Date: 8/5/2008
Citation: Lea, M.A., Ibeh, C., Desbordes, C., Vizzotto, M., Cisneros-Zevallos, L., Byrne, D.H., Okie, W.R., Moyer, M.P. 2008. Inhibition of growth and induction of differentiation of colon cancer cells by peach and plum phenolic compounds. Anticancer Research. 28(4B):2067-2076.

Interpretive Summary: Anthocyanins and other plant pigments are thought to be beneficial in the diet, and may even help reduce diseases such as cancer. Under laboratory conditions, extracts from high-pigment plums and peaches were found to be active in inhibiting growth of colon cancer cells. These extracts also appeared to induce differentiation of colon cancer cells. Results suggest it is not the anthocyanins themselves, but perhaps associated polyphenols that are responsible for the beneficial effects.

Technical Abstract: The action of extracts from anthocyanin-enriched plums and peaches on growth and differentiation was studied with human colon cancer cells. Growth inhibitory effects were observed in Caco-2, SW1116, HT29 and NCM460 cells. In Caco-2 cells but not in the other cells studied there was evidence for increased differentiation as judged by increased activity of alkaline phosphatase and dipeptidyl peptidase. A differentiating effect on Caco-2 cells was not seen with cyanidin or cyanidin-3-glucoside but the action of the fruit extracts was additive with the action of butyrate and with the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126. Fractionation using C18 indicated activity resided within a fraction containing anthocyanins but further fractionation using LH-20 suggested that most of the activity was in a fraction containing polyphenols other than anthocyanins. It was concluded that several peach and plum phenolic molecules can influence growth and differentiation in human colon cancer cells.