Changes in plasma thiol levels induced by different phases of treatment in breast cancer; the role of commercial extract from black chokeberry

Abstract

Different low-molecular-weight thiols, including glutathione, cysteine, and cysteinylglycine are physiological free radical scavengers. On the other hand, homocysteine may play a role as an oxidant. The aim of our present study was to establish in vitro the effects of the commercial extract of Aronia melanocarpa (Aronox(®)) on the amount of selected low-molecular-weight thiols and the activity of antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase) in plasma obtained from patients with invasive breast cancer during different phases of treatment [before or after the surgery and patients after different phases of chemotherapy (doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide)] and from healthy subjects. Patients were hospitalized in Department of Oncological Surgery and Department of Chemotherapy, Medical University of Lodz, Poland. The level of low-molecular-weight thiols was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. We observed that in the presence of the Aronia extract changes in amount of thiols in plasma from breast cancer patients (at all tested groups) were significantly reduced. Our results showed that tested commercial extract reduced modifications of antioxidative enzymes activity in plasma from patients during different phases of treatment, but this effect was not statistical significant. Our results suggest that the Aronia extract supplementation in breast cancer patients has a beneficial effect on thiols concentration in plasma. Plasma, as reported in this work, could be used as an experimental model to evaluate the beneficial action of plant supplements, including phenolic extracts on thiols or other molecules during different phases of treatment.

Role of Black Chokeberries in Breast Cancer

“…12 Other experiments indicate that in the presence of A. melanocarpa commercial extract (Aronox ® ), changes in amount of different low-molecular-weight thiols, including glutathione, cysteine, and cysteinylglycine, which are physiological free radical scavengers (determined by high-performance liquid chromatography) in plasma from breast cancer patients during different phases of treatment (before or after the surgery and patients after different phases of chemotherapy (doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide)) were significantly reduced. 11 Moreover, tested commercial extract reduced modifications of antioxidative enzymes activity (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase) in plasma from patients during different phases of treatment, but this effect was not statistically significant. 11 Aronox ® also significantly decreased the level of homocysteine in plasma from patients with invasive breast cancer (at all tested groups), 11 and reduced the changes of hemostasis (the fibrin polymerization and lysis) in breast cancer patients caused by the surgery and various phases of the chemotherapy in model system in vitro (Table 14.5).…”

“…6 Moreover, oncology therapy (radiotherapy or chemotherapy) induces the generation of reactive oxygen species not only in cancer cells, but also in normal cells. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13] ROS produced during cancer chemotherapy are often a source of serious side effects (cardiotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, and hematological toxicity). 14,15 The oxidative stress, detected by using various biomarkers (including the level of carbonyl groups and 3-nitrotyrosine in proteins, the total antioxidant level (TAS), the activity of antioxidative enzymes), had been observed in breast cancer patients before and during different phases of treatment.…”

“…14,15 The oxidative stress, detected by using various biomarkers (including the level of carbonyl groups and 3-nitrotyrosine in proteins, the total antioxidant level (TAS), the activity of antioxidative enzymes), had been observed in breast cancer patients before and during different phases of treatment. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Results of Kedzierska et al 11 have shown that the total level of glutathione (an important physiological antioxidant) in plasma isolated from breast cancer patients (before and during treatment, during different phases of chemotherapy (doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide)) was lower than in healthy persons.…”

“…On the other hand, dietary antioxidants (present in vegetables and fruits, including black chokeberries) may reduce the risk of breast cancer. [7][8][9][10][11][12]35,36 Moreover, antioxidant supplements (e.g., vitamin E and glutamine) may decrease side effects associated with treatment. According to Butalla et al 37 regular carrot juice (8 oz of fresh BetaSweet or Balero orange carrot juice) intake induces an increase of plasma total carotenoid concentrations in breast cancer patients (increased by 1.65 and 1.38 μM for the BetaSweet and Balero carrot juice, respectively), and reduces oxidative stress.…”

The anticancer effect of Ocimum tenuiflorum leaves

“…MCF-7, a hormone-dependent breast cancer cell line, is classified as estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, whereas MDA-MB-231, a non-hormone-dependent breast cancer cell line, is classified as ER-negative (Magdalena et al, 2013). The treatments for these two types of breast cancer differ.…”