title: Dietary Phytochemicals and Cancer Chemoprevention: A Perspective on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Epigenetics.
abstract: Oxidative stress occurs when cellular reactive oxygen species levels exceed the self-antioxidant capacity of the body. Oxidative stress induces many pathological changes, including inflammation and cancer. Chronic inflammation is believed to be strongly associated with the major stages of carcinogenesis. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway plays a crucial role in regulating oxidative stress and inflammation by manipulating key antioxidant and detoxification enzyme genes via the antioxidant response element. Many dietary phytochemicals with cancer chemopreventive properties, such as polyphenols, isothiocyanates, and triterpenoids, exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions by activating the Nrf2 pathway. Furthermore, epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, and miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional alterations, also lead to various carcinogenesis processes by suppressing cancer repressor gene transcription. Using epigenetic research tools, including next-generation sequencing technologies, many dietary phytochemicals are shown to modify and reverse aberrant epigenetic/epigenome changes, potentially leading to cancer prevention/treatment. Thus, the beneficial effects of dietary phytochemicals on cancer development warrant further investigation to provide additional impetus for clinical translational studies.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer Prevention Research, ‡Department of Pharmaceutics, §Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States.
authors.forename: Wenji
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer Prevention Research, ‡Department of Pharmaceutics, §Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer Prevention Research, ‡Department of Pharmaceutics, §Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States.
authors.forename: Chengyue
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer Prevention Research, ‡Department of Pharmaceutics, §Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States.
authors.forename: Renyi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer Prevention Research, ‡Department of Pharmaceutics, §Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States.
authors.forename: Anne Yuqing
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer Prevention Research, ‡Department of Pharmaceutics, §Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer Prevention Research, ‡Department of Pharmaceutics, §Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States.
authors.forename: Ah-Ng Tony
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D064209:Phytochemicals