Functional Analysis of the Action of Plant Isothiocyanates: Cellular Mechanisms and In Vivo Role in Plants, and Anticancer Activity
Doctoral thesis
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Date
2014Metadata
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- Institutt for biologi [2420]
Abstract
Isothiocyanates are plant phytochemicals produced by Brassicales for protection against
herbivores and pathogens. Recent studies have also suggested that these compounds may
trigger internal defense responses. However, the cellular events triggered by isothiocyanates
in plants remain elusive. In the present thesis, novel cellular mechanisms induced by
isothiocyanates in Arabidopsis thaliana are reported, including disintegration of microtubules,
attenuation of actin-mediated intracellular transport, depletion of glutathione, induced gene
expressions and shift in the cell cycle. Isothiocyanates are also known to have
chemopreventive properties against some types of cancer. Gastric cancer is a disease in great
need of new treatment modalities. In the present thesis, the effects of isothiocyanates on
human gastric cancer cells were studied. The present data shows that isothiocyanates inhibit
the cell proliferation and migration, and induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human
gastric cancer cells. Moreover, isothiocyanates induce disintegration of microtubules in these
cells. Collectively, the findings in this thesis shed light on the emerging field of in vivo role of
isothiocyanates in plants, as well as the underlying molecular events of a potent natural
therapeutic agent against gastric cancer.
Publisher
NTNUSeries
Doctoral thesis at NTNU;;2014:261