Luteolin is a flavonoid found in abundance in celery, green pepper, and dandelions. Previous studies have shown that luteolin is an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative agent. In this study, the anti-inflammatory capacity of luteolin and one of its glycosidic forms, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, were compared and their molecular mechanisms of action were analyzed. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 cells, luteolin more potently inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 as well as the expression of their corresponding enzymes (inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) than luteolin-7-O-glucoside. The molecular mechanisms underlying these effects were investigated to determine whether the inflammatory response was related to the transcription factors, nuclear factor (NF)-κB and activator protein (AP)-1, or their upstream signaling molecules, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Luteolin attenuated the activation of both transcription factors, NF-κB and AP-1, while luteolin-7-O-glucoside only impeded NF-κB activation. However, both flavonoids inhibited Akt phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. Consequently, luteolin more potently ameliorated LPS-induced inflammation than luteolin-7-O-glucoside, which might be attributed to the differentially activated NF-κB/AP-1/PI3K-Akt pathway in RAW 264.7 cells.

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Associations of coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages with ovarian cancer risk remain uncertain. In a population-based study in Washington State, 781 women with epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosed in 2002 to 2005 and 1,263 controls completed selfadministered questionnaires detailing consumption of caffeinated and noncaffeinated coffee, teas, and colas and in-person interviews regarding reproductive and hormonal exposures. We assessed risk associated with coffee, tea, and cola drinking and with total caffeine consumption using logistic regression to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Neither caffeinated nor decaffeinated coffees were associated with ovarian cancer risk; also, we observed no association of total caffeine with risk using a combined index that summed intake from coffee, tea, and carbonated soft drinks. Among teas, neither herbal/decaffeinated nor black teas were associated with risk; however, women who reported drinking z1 cup/d of green tea had a 54% reduction in risk (P trend = 0.01). Associations of green tea with risk were similar when invasive and borderline cases were considered separately and when Asian women were excluded from analysis. Green tea, which is commonly consumed in countries with low ovarian cancer incidence, should be further investigated for its cancer prevention properties. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008;17(3):712 -6)

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Background We investigated whether peptides involved in cellular proliferation and apoptosis, [insulin-like growth factor I (IGFI) and its major binding protein (insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3)], predicted risk of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Methods We conducted a nested-case control study in the placebo arm of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT). Cases (n= 727) were men with surgical or medical treatment for BPH; two or more IPSS scores > 14; or two scores of at least five points over baseline one of which was ≥ 12. Controls (n=727) were frequency matched by age to cases, reported no BPH treatment, and no IPSS score > 8. Cases and controls remained on the PCPT placebo and were followed closely until their 7-year PCPT anniversary. Baseline serum was analyzed for IGFI and IGFBP3. Unconditional logistic regression and polytomous regression estimated the multivariate-adjusted odds ratio for BPH risk. Results IGFBP3 was inversely and the IGFI:IGFBP3 ratio was positively associated with BPH risk, but findings were statistically significant only for men with severe symptoms (OR=0.60, 95% CI = 0.40–0.90 for the fifth vs. first quintile of IGFBP3, p, trend = 0.01). Associations did not differ by age (< 65 or ≥ 65 years), and there was a suggestion that the IGFI:IGFBP3 – BPH risk association may be stronger among overweight men. Conclusions A high IGFI:IGFBP3 ratio was associated with increased BPH risk, and high serum IGFBP3 was associated with decreased BPH risk among men with severe symptoms. These results confirm findings from other recent studies.

Several studies have been conducted on dietary patterns based on carbohydrate nutrition in Asian populations. We examined the cross-sectional associations in dietary patterns based on carbohydrate nutrition, including the glycemic index (GI) with dyslipidemia and diabetes among the Korean adult population. We analyzed 9,725 subjects (3,795 men and 5,930 women, ≥ 20 years) from the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Dietary information was collected using single 24-hour recall. Reduced rank regression was used to derive dietary patterns from 22 food groups as predictor variables and four dietary factors related to the quantity and quality of carbohydrates as response variables. Two dietary patterns were identified: 1) the balanced pattern was characterized by high intake of various kinds of foods including white rice, and 2) the rice-oriented pattern was characterized by a high intake of white rice but low intake of vegetables, fruits, meat, and dairy products. Both patterns had considerable amounts of total carbohydrate, but GI values differed. The rice-oriented pattern was positively associated with hypertriglyceridemia in men and low high density lipoprotein-cholesterol in both men and women. The balanced pattern had no overall significant association with the prevalence of dyslipidemia or diabetes, however, men with energy intake above the median showed a reduced prevalence of diabetes across quintiles of balanced pattern scores. The results show that dietary patterns based on carbohydrate nutrition are associated with prevalence of dyslipidemia and diabetes in the Korean adult population.

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