title: Selective increase of the potential anticarcinogen 4-methylsulphinylbutyl glucosinolate in broccoli.
abstract: The putative anticarcinogenic activity of Brassica vegetables has been associated with the presence of certain glucosinolates. 4-Methylsulphinylbutyl isothiocyanate (sulphoraphane), derived from the corresponding glucosinolate found in broccoli, has previously been identified as a potent inducer of the anticarcinogenic marker enzyme quinone reductase [NADP(H):quinone-acceptor oxidoreductase] in murine hepatoma Hepa 1c1c7 cells. We have therefore produced a broccoli hybrid with increased levels of this anticarcinogenic glucosinolate and tested the ability of extracts to induce quinone reductase. A 10-fold increase in the level of 4-methylsulphinylbutyl glucosinolate was obtained by crossing broccoli cultivars with selected wild taxa of the Brassica oleracea (chromosome number, n = 9) complex. Tissue from these hybrids exhibited a >100-fold increase in the ability to induce quinone reductase in Hepa 1c1c7 cells over broccoli cultivars, due to both an increase in 4-methylsulphinylbutyl glucosinolate content and increased percentage conversion to sulphoraphane.
authors.affiliation: John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Faulkner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mithen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Williamson
mesh_terms: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D001937:Brassica / Q000737:chemistry*; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D017879:Isothiocyanates; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013454:Sulfoxides; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000737:chemistry*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D017879:Isothiocyanates; D013454:Sulfoxides; D013861:Thiocyanates; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); C016766:sulforaphane