Molecular crosstalk between polyphenols and gut microbiota in cancer prevention

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Nutrition Research

Publication Date

4-1-2024

Abstract

A growing body of evidence suggests that cancer remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating the development of novel therapeutic approaches. In recent years, the molecular crosstalk between polyphenols and gut microbiota has emerged as a promising pathway for cancer prevention. Polyphenols, abundant in many plant-based foods, possess diverse bioactive properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. The gut microbiota, a complex microbial community residing in the gastrointestinal tract, plays a crucial role in a host's health and disease risks. This review highlights cancer suppressive and oncogenic mechanisms of gut microbiota, the intricate interplay between gut microbiota modulation and polyphenol biotransformation, and the potential therapeutic implications of this interplay in cancer prevention. Furthermore, this review explores the molecular mechanisms underpinning the synergistic effects of polyphenols and the gut microbiota, such as modulation of signaling pathways and immune response and epigenetic modifications in animal and human studies. The current review also summarizes the challenges and future directions in this field, including the development of personalized approaches that consider interindividual variations in gut microbiota composition and function. Understanding the molecular crosstalk could offer new perspectives for the development of personalized cancer therapies targeting the polyphenol–gut axis. Future clinical trials are needed to validate the potential role of polyphenols and gut microbiota as innovative therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.

ISSN

0271-5317

Publisher

Elsevier BV

Volume

124

First Page

21

Last Page

42

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Keywords

Cancer prevention, Gut microbiota, Metabolites, Molecular mechanisms, Polyphenols

Scopus ID

85185313840

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

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