Vegetables Affect Lung Cancer Gene Expression

Vegetables Affect Lung Cancer Gene Expression

MAASTRICHT, The Netherlands--Vegetablescan lower the risk of lung cancer by affecting the expression of genes involvedin cancer development, according to a new study published in the Journalof Nutrition (135:2456-52, 2005).

Researchers from Maastricht University investigated this lung cancerprotection, using cDNA microarray technology to study the effect of vegetableson gene expression in female mice. For two weeks, mice were given one of eightdifferent diets: a control diet containing no vegetables; a diet containingeither 70 g/kg cauliflower, 73 g/kg carrots, 226 g/kg peas or 31 g/kg onions; ora diet containing either 100 g/kg, 200 g/kg or 400 g/kg of vegetable mixture(consisting of the four vegetables). Post-mortem analysis entailed RNA isolationfrom the mouse lungs for investigation of expression of 602 genes involved inpathways of carcinogenesis.

The results showed individual vegetables, compared to the vegetable mixture,have a higher potential of modulating genes in favor of lung cancer prevention;carrots affected the most number of genes. The pathways involved included cellgrowth, apoptosis, biotransformation, and immune response. The researchersconcluded this study provides more insight into the genetic mechanisms by whichvegetables, in particular carrots, can prevent lung cancer risk.