Garlic, a functional and medicinal food, has been shown to have antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic and cholesterol-lowering properties, and it has also been associated with reducing carcinogen-induced DNA strand breaks, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, inhibiting RNA and DNA synthesis, and inhibiting angiogenesis.
Once the garlic is chopped, the allicinase enzyme catalyzes the breakdown of alliin to produce allicin, an unstable compound that is easily converted to sulfur-containing organosulfur compounds (OSCs). OSCs converted from allicin include diallyl sulfide (DAS), diallyl disulfide (DADS), and diallyl trisulfide (DATS), to which garlic's anti-cancer effects are attributed.
Diallyl trisulfide, which has stronger anticancer effects due to the increased number of sulfur atoms in its structure, has been shown to have a variety of pharmacological and biological activities, including antitumor, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects.
2024年1月19日，美国佛罗里达农工大学的研究人员在" Nutrients "期刊上发表了一篇题为" The Garlic Compound，Diallyl Trisulfide，Attenuates Benzo[a]Pyrene-Induced Precancerous Effect through Its Antioxidant Effect，AhR Inhibition，and Increased DNA Repair in Human Breast Epithelial Cells "的研究论文。
The study showed that garlic may prevent cancer, and DATS converted from allicin can inhibit the activity of aromatic hydrocarbon receptors, reduce DNA damage, inhibit the formation of ROS, and at the same time, DATS can also increase the ability of DNA repair and prevent cancer.
Benzo[a]Pyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compound, also known as B[a]P, which is a Group 1 human carcinogen found primarily in tobacco smoke, vehicle exhaust and emissions from combustion. Early studies have shown that B[a]P exposure is associated with a variety of health problems, including the development of cancer.
In this study, the researchers analyzed the ability of diallyl trisulfide (DATS), converted from allicin, in blocking B[a]P-induced carcinogenesis of breast epithelial cells.
First, the researchers found that DATS was able to inhibit the formation of human mammary epithelial cell colonies induced by B[a]P, and that treatment of cells with DATS plus B[a]P resulted in a significant reduction in colony formation compared to B[a]P alone.
Furthermore, it was found that DATS was able to inhibit the accumulation of ROS in human mammary epithelial cells induced by B[a]P, and when B[a]P was added to the cells, it led to a significant increase in ROS production, reaching a peak at 24 hours, while DATS, DATS plus B[a]P treated cells, ROS production decreased overall, and showed dose- and time-dependent responses.
DATS inhibits the accumulation of ROS
In addition, the researchers also found that DATS was able to inhibit B[a]P-induced DNA damage in human mammary epithelial cells, compared to B[a]P alone, while DATS, DATS plus B[a]P treatment of cells resulted in a significant reduction in DNA damage in cell colonies.
Reduced DNA damage
DATS also reduced aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) protein expression in B[a]P-treated human mammary epithelial cells, a transcription factor involved in cellular responses to harmful substances in the environment. B[a]P is an activator of AhR, and excessive activation of AhR is associated with the occurrence and progression of precancerous lesions.
Finally, it was found that DATS can promote the expression of genes related to DNA repair and improve the ability of cells to repair DNA damage, which is an important process to maintain genome stability and prevent carcinogenesis.
The researchers noted that the daily treatments of 40 μM, 60 μM, and 80 μM DATS used in the study were equivalent to 3.5 mg, 5.2 mg, and 7.07 mg of DATS per day, respectively, at concentrations well within the physiological range tolerated by humans.
Earlier studies showed that DATS affected chemically induced carcinogenesis by modulating aqueous oxide solutions, inducing cell cycle arrest, and DNA damage in mammary epithelial cells, and this study provides further evidence that DATS inhibits B[a]P-induced precancerous activity by altering cell proliferation, replication, and ROS formation.
In summary, the results showed that B[a]P could induce oxidative stress and other ways to increase carcinogenesis, while DATS inhibited B[a]P-induced carcinogenesis by changing cell proliferation, replication, and ROS formation. Therefore, garlic is considered an effective preventive agent due to its antioxidant and antitumor abilities.
Paper Links:
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16020300
Published in: Yinuovi
Studies have found that garlic can inhibit carcinogenesis in many ways