Chemosensitization of tumors by resveratrol

Abstract

Because tumors develop resistance to chemotherapeutic agents, the cancer research community continues to search for effective chemosensitizers. One promising possibility is to use dietary agents that sensitize tumors to the chemotherapeutics. In this review, we discuss that the use of resveratrol can sensitize tumor cells to chemotherapeutic agents. The tumors shown to be sensitized by resveratrol include lung carcinoma, acute myeloid leukemia, promyelocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, prostate cancer, oral epidermoid carcinoma, and pancreatic cancer. The chemotherapeutic agents include vincristine, adriamycin, paclitaxel, doxorubicin, cisplatin, gefitinib, 5-fluorouracil, velcade, and gemcitabine. The chemosensitization of tumor cells by resveratrol appears to be mediated through its ability to modulate multiple cell-signaling molecules, including drug transporters, cell survival proteins, cell proliferative proteins, and members of the NF-κB and STAT3 signaling pathways. Interestingly, this nutraceutical has also been reported to suppress apoptosis induced by paclitaxel, vincristine, and daunorubicin in some tumor cells. The potential mechanisms underlying this dual effect are discussed. Overall, studies suggest that resveratrol can be used to sensitize tumors to standard cancer chemotherapeutics.

Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) Is Required for Promoting Chondrogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

“…However, the mechanisms regulating the suppressive signaling of resveratrol on IL-1␤-induced NF-B transcriptional activity have not yet been fully understood. Opposite to this, several lines of evidence have also reported that resveratrol induces apoptotic cell death in several tumor cell lines through the stimulation of caspase-3, accumulation of p53 and p21, and cleavage of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (51,59,60). There may be different and multiple reasons for these diverse findings.…”

Resveratrol and health – A comprehensive review of human clinical trials

“…Resveratrol has shown much promise in treating cancer in laboratory animals and in vitro human cell studies [68][69][70], yet there is still a large void in human research. This may soon change, as six of the clinical trials currently listed for resveratrol on www.clinicaltrials.gov (Table 2 in Supporting Information) include cancer patients as a target population.…”

Epigenetic changes induced by curcumin and other natural compounds

“…Resveratrol, a natural compound found in the skin of red grapes and a constituent of red wine, is believed to play a significant role in the reduction of cardiovascular events (Artaud-Wild et al 1993;Gupta et al 2011). Multiple studies have shown that resveratrol can activate sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a histone deacetylase, and inhibit p300 (Howitz et al 2003;Gracia-Sancho et al 2010).…”