title: Pro-oxidant activity of polyphenols and its implication on cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy.
abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a major role in carcinogenesis: pro-oxidant agents like tobacco smoke, asbestos or N-nitrosamines, are known as mutagenic and carcinogenic, and cancer cells show increased levels of ROS and redox deregulation. However, pro-oxidant molecules can also act as selective cytotoxic agents against cancer cells by achieving toxic levels of ROS. Although polyphenols are well-known as potent antioxidants, a pro-oxidant effect has been associated with their pro-apoptotic effect in various types of tumor cells. The aim of the present review is to present the main evidences of the pro-oxidant-related cytotoxic activity of naturally occurring polyphenols and their underlying mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: UMR 7213 CNRS, Laboratoire de Biophotonique et Pharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Antonio J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: León-González
authors.affiliation: UMR 7213 CNRS, Laboratoire de Biophotonique et Pharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Auger
authors.affiliation: UMR 7213 CNRS, Laboratoire de Biophotonique et Pharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France. Electronic address: valerie.schini-kerth@unistra.fr.
authors.forename: Valérie B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Schini-Kerth
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D016877:Oxidants; D059808:Polyphenols
keywords: Cancer; Chemoprevention; Oxidative stress; Polyphenol; Pro-oxidant