title: Plant flavonoids in cancer chemoprevention: role in genome stability.
abstract: Carcinogenesis is a multistage process that involves a series of events comprising of genetic and epigenetic changes leading to the initiation, promotion and progression of cancer. Chemoprevention is referred to as the use of nontoxic natural compounds, synthetic chemicals or their combinations to intervene in multistage carcinogenesis. Chemoprevention through diet modification, i.e., increased consumption of plant-based food, has emerged as a most promising and potentially cost-effective approach to reducing the risk of cancer. Flavonoids are naturally occurring polyphenols that are ubiquitous in plant-based food such as fruits, vegetables and teas as well as in most medicinal plants. Over 10,000 flavonoids have been characterized over the last few decades. Flavonoids comprise of several subclasses including flavonols, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, flavanones, flavones, isoflavones and proanthocyanidins. This review describes the most efficacious plant flavonoids, including luteolin, epigallocatechin gallate, quercetin, apigenin and chrysin; their hormetic effects; and the molecular basis of how these flavonoids contribute to the chemoprevention with a focus on protection against DNA damage caused by various carcinogenic factors. The present knowledge on the role of flavonoids in chemoprevention can be used in developing effective dietary strategies and natural health products targeted for cancer chemoprevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Vazhappilly Cijo
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dellaire
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Electronic address: vrupasinghe@dal.ca.
authors.forename: H P Vasantha
authors.initials: HPV
authors.lastname: Rupasinghe
mesh_terms: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects; D004032:Diet; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042822:Genomic Instability; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D059808:Polyphenols
keywords: Cancer; Chemoprevention; DNA damage detection; DNA damage signaling and repair; Dietary antioxidants; Flavonoids; Genome stability; Polyphenols