KATHMANDU: Can Green tea help suppress cancer tumor? And the right way to prepare it

KATHMANDU: Green tea is known for its many
health benefits. From boosting the digestive system to assisting weight loss,
it is effective in overall health management. As per a recent study, an
antioxidant found in green tea may increase levels of p53, a natural anti-cancer
protein, known as the ‘guardian of the genome’ for its ability to repair DNA
damage or destroy cancerous cells. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

​The study

According
to a study published in Nature Communications, there is a direct relation
between p53 and the green tea compound, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which
points to a new target for cancer drug discovery.

 “Both p53 and EGCG molecules are
extremely interesting. Mutations in p53 are found in over 50% of human cancer,
while EGCG is the major antioxidant in green tea, a popular beverage
worldwide,” said Chunyu Wang, corresponding author and a professor of
biological sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. “Now we find that
there is a previously unknown, direct interaction between the two, which points
to a new path for developing anti-cancer drugs.

Our work
helps to explain how EGCG is able to boost p53’s anti-cancer activity, opening
the door to developing drugs with EGCG-like compounds,” added Wang. Wang,
a member of the Rensselaer Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary
Studies, is an expert in using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study
specific mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, including p53, which he
described as “arguably the most important protein in human cancer.”
(Image: istock)

P53 and Green Tea

P53 has
several well-known anti-cancer functions, including halting cell growth to
allow for DNA repair, activating DNA repair, and initiating programmed cell
death — called apoptosis — if DNA damage cannot be repaired. One end of the
protein, known as the N-terminal domain, has a flexible shape, and therefore,
can potentially serve several functions depending on its interaction with
multiple molecules. (Image: istock)

What is EGCG?

EGCG is a natural antioxidant, which means it helps
to undo the near-constant damage caused by using oxygen metabolism. Found in
abundance in green tea, EGCG is also packaged as an herbal supplement. Wang’s
team found that the interaction between EGCG and p53 preserves the protein from
degradation.

Typically,
after being produced within the body, p53 is quickly degraded when the
N-terminal domain interacts with a protein called MDM2. This regular cycle of
production and degradation holds p53 levels at a low constant. “Both EGCG
and MDM2 bind at the same place on p53, the N-terminal domain, so EGCG competes
with MDM2,” said Wang. “When EGCG binds with p53, the protein is not
being degraded through MDM2, so the level of p53 will increase with the direct
interaction with EGCG, and that means there is more p53 for anti-cancer
function.

This is a
very important interaction.” “By developing an understanding of the
molecular-level mechanisms that control key biochemical interactions linked to
devastating illnesses such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, Chunyu’s research
is laying the groundwork for new and successful therapies,” said Curt
Breneman, dean of the Rensselaer School of Science. “EGCG Binds
Intrinsically Disordered N-Terminal Domain of p53 and Disrupts p53-MDM2
Interaction” was published with support from multiple grants from the
National Institutes of Health.