Medical Reports

The p53 gene exists in all human cells and might be considered one of the most important human genes. It controls an extremely important cellular process known asapoptosis.

Apoptosis can simply be described as programmed cell death. The reason we’re not all 20 feet tall and weigh a thousand pounds is that cells have a limited lifespan. When this lifespan has been fulfilled, the p53 initiates a cascade of processes that

result in controlled cell death and the recycling of usable cellular material. The p53 gene can also be described as the protector of the genome (our DNA) because if harmful mutations occur (those that could result in cancer) it may also initiate the mutation damages the p53 gene so that it cannot do its job, cancer can result. In fact, it is now believed that as many as 50% or more of human cancers result from damage to the p53 gene.

Interactive gene expression pattern in prostate cancer cells exposed to phenolic antioxidants.

Narayanan BA, Narayanan NK, Stoner GD, Bullock BP.

Microarray Systems Laboratory, American Health Foundation, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA. bhagavat@mindspring.com

Dietary phenolic compounds are known to elicite vital cellular responses such as cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and differentiation by activating a cascade of molecular events. As there is an increasing interest to improve the efficacy of these compounds for use as potential chemopreventive agents, we wanted to understand the impact of phenolic compounds on target genes in prostate cancer. In this study we used human cDNA microarrays with 2400 clones consisting of 17 prosite motifs to characterize alterations in gene expression pattern in response to the phenolic antioxidants ellagic acid (EA) and resveratrol (RE). Over a 48-hr exposure of androgen - sensitive LNCaP cells to EA and RE, a total of 593 and 555 genes respectively, showed more than a two fold difference in expression. A distinct set of genes in both EA-and RE-treated cells may represent the signature profile of phenolic antioxidant-induced gene expression in LNCaP cells. Although extensive similarity was found between effects of EA - and RE - responsive genes in prostate cancer cells, out of 246 genes with overlapping responses, 25 genes showed an opposite effect. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to verify and validate the differential expression of selected genes identified from cDNA microarrays. In-depth analysis of the data from this study provided insight into the alterations in the p53 - responsive genes, p300, Apaf-1, NF-kBp50 and p65 and PPAR families of genes, suggesting the activation of multiple signaling pathways that leads to growth inhibition of LNCaP cells. This is a first study to look for changes in a large number of human genes in response to dietary compounds. 

Influential scientists such as Dr. Daniel Nixon of the Hollings Cancer Institute (Medical University of south Carolina, USA) have been working with certain micro-nutrients and their impact on human health. Dr. Nixon’s most recent work has been with raspberries and specifically the micronutrient ellagic acid contained in the pulp and seeds. His work with tissue cultures has shown that cancer cells (of many types) exposed to ellagic acid levels corresponding to specific amounts of eating fresh raspberries underwent a natural cell death.

This is incredibly important news, because the amount of raspberries needed to develop this level of ellagic acid was only one cup!

Dr. Nixon has also shown that human cervical cells infected with human papilloma virus (HPV, warts) are also killed by the same concentration of ellagic acid. This is important because human papilloma viruses are considered to be the main cause of cervical cancer.

Other scientist have found positive responses using ellagic acid in researching many other conditions and disease:

Periodontal disease
Protection of the liver from toxic injury
Faster would healing
Radiation induced chromosomal damage
Slowing the spread of the HIV virus in the human body
Slowing the degenerative process of aging
Prevention of neural tube birth defects Neurodegenerative diseases
Diabetic retinopathy

The p53 gene exists in all human cells and might be considered one of the most important human genes. It controls an extremely important cellular process known asapoptosis.

Apoptosis can simply be described as programmed cell death. The reason we’re not all 20 feet tall and weigh a thousand pounds is that cells have a limited lifespan. When this lifespan has been fulfilled, the p53 initiates a cascade of processes that

result in controlled cell death and the recycling of usable cellular material. The p53 gene can also be described as the protector of the genome (our DNA) because if harmful mutations occur (those that could result in cancer) it may also initiate the mutation damages the p53 gene so that it cannot do its job, cancer can result. In fact, it is now believed that as many as 50% or more of human cancers result from damage to the p53 gene.

Greetings Folks,

Someone kindly shared the following information with me that was in the June 04, 2002 issue of ‘Woman’s Day’ magazine, it had this to say: (page 18 --Theme: Brand-New Miracle Weight-Loss Breakthroughs!) Article title: The powerful metabolism-booster discovered in raspberries

This month, Japanese dieters will be the first to try what could soon become the world’s most delicious diet pill. Made from the compound that gives raspberries their fragrance, the chewable tablets were proven during trials to have three times more metabolism-boosting power than other popular supplements. In fact, the average test subject lost 2.2 pounds in a week without making any other lifestyle changes!

So when will the pill be widely available? It could be months or even years before they make it to your local drugstore. But there is a simple alternative, say researchers. Eat raspberries! To get enough of the fruit’s miracle ingredient, called ketones, you’ll need to incorporate two or more cups of raspberries into your daily menus.

“It worked for me!”

When Susan Gombert, R.N., first invented a raspberry diet for herself, she was pretty sure it’d help her shed a few pounds fast. “I had learned that raspberries are one of the highest fiber fruits—and fiber helps reduce both hunger and the number of calories our bodies can absorb,” says the Port Washington, New York, mom of four. “They’re incredibly low in calories, even lower than most other fruits. Plus, I’ve found that raspberries can actually take away my cravings for chocolate!”

So Susan began aiming to eat a pint of raspberries a day, adding them to cereal or just eating them straight from the container. “I found I could lose at least two pounds in a week this way, without making any other changes,” she reports. “Now if I notice my jeans getting snug, I don’t make a big deal about it, I just eat raspberries.”

This might be your weight-loss miracle if. . . you’ve always wanted to reap the benefits of diet supplements –reduced hunger, fewer cravings, reduced calorie absorption and increased fat-burning power—but have felt uneasy about taking pills. “Raspberries are all natural and truly slimming.” promises Joy Bauer, R.D., author of ‘The 90/10 Weight Loss Plan.’

6/18/02 Typed from article in Woman’s Day Magazine, June 04, 2002 Issue, Page 18

 We live in a remarkably polluted environment. These pollutants can combine with the oxygen species known as free radicals. These free radicals seek to neutralize their imbalanced electrical charge by attacking weaker molecules-and DNA is a great target. Chromosomes have their own defensive system to deal with certain levels of free radical attack, but the burdens of modern life can overwhelm these defenses. 

 Recent studies have shown that ellagic acid has some activity in virto (the lab) against HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). This activity is explained on the basis of its anti-integrase activity. Integrates are enzymes necessary for virues to insert their DNA into the infected cells and then use the cell machinery to reproduce itself. The ellagic acid binds to a segment of the viral integrase, rendering it incapable of carrying out its function. It thus has anti HIV capability.

 Dietary berries and ellagic acid diminish estrogen-mediated mammary  tumorigenesis in ACI rats. Aiyer HS, Srinivasan C, Gupta RC. Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40202,  USA.
Estrogen acts as a complete mammary carcinogen in ACI rats. Prevention  studies in this model allowed us to identify agents that are effective against 
estrogen-induced mammary carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated efficacy  of dietary berries and ellagic acid to reduce estrogen-mediated mammary  tumorigenesis. Female ACI rats (8-9 wk) were fed either AIN-93M diet (n = 25) or  diet supplemented with either powdered blueberry (n = 19) and black raspberry  (n = 19) at 2.5% wt/wt each or ellagic acid (n = 22) at 400 ppm. Animals received implants of 17beta-estradiol 2 wk later, were palpated periodically for mammary tumors, and were euthanized after 24 wk. No differences were found  in tumor incidence at 24 wk; however, tumor volume and multiplicity were  reduced significantly after intervention. Compared with the control group (average tumor volume = 685 +/- 240 mm3 and tumor multiplicity = 8.0 +/- 1.3), ellagic acid reduced the tumor volume by 75% (P < 0.005) and tumor multiplicity by 44% (P < 0.05). Black raspberry followed closely, with tumor volume diminished by > 69% (P < 0.005) and tumor multiplicity by 37% (P = 0.07).
Blueberry showed a reduction (40%) only in tumor volume. This is the first report showing the significant efficacy of both ellagic acid and berries in the prevention of solely estrogen-induced mammary tumors. 

 If an organism’s ability to generate reactive oxygen species (free radicals) is not balanced by equal amounts of anti-oxidant potential that organism is said to suffer oxidative stress. It is thought that this oxidative stress and the resultant free-radical damage strongly contributes to the degenerative effects of aging, such as arthritis, cataracts, decreased vision, and cancer itself. 

Ellagic acid has other beneficial effects on human health that take advantage of its separate but important anti-oxidant potential. Again, to understand this important function we must have a basic understanding of what anti-oxidants are and how they protect us.

The very act of breathing in oxygen creates within living systems very reactive and damaging molecules which are combinations of oxygen and hydrogen. These reactive species are catalyzed (produced) by certain metals that are located near our DNA molecules. These reactive species will seek to neutralize their imbalanced electrical by attempting to combine with nearby healthy molecules creating damage. Since the relative species are in close proximity to DNA molecules our genes can become a likely target resulting in DNA damage (mutations). It is known that ellagic acid can form adducts (gentle wrapping of our DNA molecules) with our genes and itself become a target for the reactive species and thus protecting the DNA. This protection of necessary molecules could be termed anti-oxidant potential.

When we speak of anti-oxidants we must also mention the phase II enzyme system and its function. Within our cells and particularly the liver there are groups of enzymes that may collectively be characterized as the phase I and the phase II system.

 Other laboratory studies have shown the ellagic acid can act to prevent super coiling of certain bacterial DNA. This super coiling results in the twisted double helix structure of DNA of which most people are familiar. If this twisted double helix cannot develop bacteria will cease to function. It is known that the twisting is produced by enzymes known as gyrases. The ellagic acid molecule is known to bind to the gyrase enzymes, preventing the twisting of the DNA molecule.