Green tea can contribute to the overall health of the body in many wonderful ways, as studies suggest that drinking a cup of green tea daily may improve brain function and combat obesity, and it could be the key to overcoming cancer.
According to researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, green tea is likely to activate a gene called p53, which prevents the development of cancerous tumors by destroying damaged cells or stopping them from dividing during cellular repair processes in the body; this gene is mutated or inactive in most types of cancer. The study showed that one of the antioxidants found in green tea enhances the efficiency and function of this important gene. The authors of the study stated that their findings provide hope for the production and development of a drug that mimics the effects of the active compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) found in green tea. Dr. Shino Wang, a co-author of the study, said, "The p53 gene and the EGCG compound are very interesting; mutations in the p53 gene have been found in more than 50% of cancer patients, while EGCG is one of the main antioxidants in green tea, a beverage popular worldwide. We have now found a previously unknown direct interaction between the two, indicating a new pathway for developing anti-cancer drugs. Our study may help explain how EGCG is able to enhance the activity of the cancer-fighting p53 gene, potentially leading to the development of drugs with effects similar to EGCG."
Why is the p53 gene considered the primary cancer destroyer? Dr. Wang argues that the p53 gene is arguably the most important protein in the human body when it comes to cells and cancer tumors. This natural cancer-fighting protein was hailed as the "guardian of the genome" after it was first discovered in 1979. One of its ends, known as the N-terminal domain, has a flexible shape that allows it to perform multiple functions. Modern scanning techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy have shown that EGCG protects this gene from degradation, which can be obtained either by drinking natural green tea or as specialized herbal supplements. In fact, once the p53 gene is produced within the body, it quickly breaks down as soon as its N-terminal domain interacts with another gene called MDM2, resulting in low levels of the p53 protein. Dr. Wang explained, "Both EGCG and MDM2 bind to the same site on the p53 gene, the N-terminal domain, meaning EGCG competes with MDM2 to bind to p53, which protects it from colliding with MDM2, ultimately increasing the interaction of the p53 gene with EGCG and enhancing its activity, which translates to strengthened cancer-fighting function. This is a very significant interaction."
Green tea may drive studies for the development of new anti-cancer drugs: This study raises hopes for the development and production of a new generation of anti-cancer drugs that enhance the activity of the p53 gene, which controls the cell life cycle. When this gene functions correctly, it activates DNA repair mechanisms and prevents cells with damaged DNA from dividing and producing cancerous cells and tumors. If DNA damage is irreparable, p53 induces the cell to self-destruct through a programmed cell death process. However, when p53 is turned off due to mutation or destruction of the gene itself, the chances of cells becoming cancerous increase, as they will divide unchecked even in the presence of DNA damage. Given that it is commonly turned off in human cancers, reactivating it may provide a powerful way to treat cancers in the future.
