Drinking green tea can be quite beneficial, as researchers have found that a popular drink compound can increase levels of a natural anti-cancer protein, known for its ability to repair DNA damage or destroy cancer cells, says a new study.
The study of the direct interaction between the anti-cancer protein p53 and the compound of green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), published in the journal Nature Communications, points to a new target for the discovery of cancer drugs. “The p53 and EGCG molecules are extremely interesting. Mutations in p53 are found in more than 50 percent of human cancer, while EGCG is the main antioxidant in green tea, a popular drink worldwide,” said corresponding author Chunyu Wang, professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.
“Now we find that there is a direct interaction hitherto unknown between the two, which points to a new path for the development of anticancer drugs. Our work helps to explain how EGCG is able to increase the anti-cancer activity of p53, opening the door to the development of drugs with EGCG-like compounds. “
The p53 protein has several well-known anticancer functions, including stopping cell growth to allow DNA repair, activating DNA repair and initiating programmed cell death called apoptosis if DNA damage cannot be repaired. One end of the protein, known as the N-terminal domain, is flexible in shape and therefore can potentially serve several functions, depending on its interaction with various molecules.
EGCG is a natural antioxidant, which means that it helps to undo the almost constant damage caused by the use of oxygen metabolism. Found in abundance in green tea, EGCG is also packaged as an herbal supplement. The researchers found that the interaction between EGCG and p53 preserves the protein from degradation.
Normally, after being produced in the body, p53 is rapidly degraded when the N-terminal domain interacts with a protein called MDM2. This regular cycle of production and degradation keeps p53 levels at a constant low.
“When EGCG binds to p53, the protein is not being degraded via MDM2, so the level of p53 will increase with direct interaction with EGCG, and that means that there is more p53 for anticancer function. This is a very important interaction , “said Wang.