Green Tea

Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin-3 Gallate Inhibits Her-2/Neu Signaling, Proliferation, and Transformed Phenotype of Breast Cancer Cells
Stefania Pianetti, Shangqin Guo, Kathryn T. Kavanagh and Gail E. Sonenshein

Departments of Biochemistry and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Program in Research on Women’s Health ,Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts

Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor family member Her-2/neu in breast cancer is associated with poor prognosis. With evidence accumulating for a chemopreventive role of green tea polyphenols, the effects of epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG) on Her-2/neu-overexpressing breast cancer cells were examined. EGCG inhibited mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-Her-2/neu NF639 cell growth in culture and soft agar. EGCG reduced signaling via the phosphatidylinositol 3- kinase, Akt kinase to NF-{kappa}B pathway because of inhibition of basal Her-2/neu receptor tyrosine phosphorylation. EGCG similarly inhibited basal receptor phosphorylation in SMF and Ba/F3 2 + 4 cells, which suggests the potential beneficial use of EGCG in adjuvant therapy of tumors with Her-2/neu overexpression.

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