Rong Li- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Integrative Omics, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China
Editorial on the Research Topic
Anti-cancer and anti-neurodegenerative activities of nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals are products based on the nutrient content of foods derived from dietary or medicinal plants (1). Because of their ability to modulate different molecular and cellular pathways, nutraceuticals are considered beneficial for preventing and treating cancers and neurodegenerative diseases (2, 3). Furthermore, nutraceuticals' presumed safety and potential nutritional and chemopreventive activities have generated significant global interest in identifying novel nutraceuticals. According to some epidemiological studies, an appropriate nutritional supplement can prevent 35% of cancer-related deaths, and 90% of cancers can be prevented by dietary supplementation (4). Accumulating evidence strongly suggests that nutraceuticals can prevent the onset of neuronal damage and subsequently reduce the progression of neuronal destruction (5). In recent years, many scientists have focused on using nutraceuticals to prevent cancer and neurological diseases through different mechanisms, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, mitochondrial homeostasis, autophagy regulation, and the promotion of neurogenesis. However, detailed molecular mechanisms underlying these protective effects remain largely unknown. The current Research Topic is issued in the Clinical Nutrition section of the Frontiers in Nutrition journal, including four original research articles. We would like to summarize the issue in the following two major directions.
Anti-neurodegenerative activities
Luo et al. used a middle cerebral artery occlusion rat model and comparative transcriptomics to determine the molecular targets and mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of laminarin in ischemic stroke (Luo et al.). Their results demonstrated the involvement of laminarin targets in blood circulation, oxygen supply, and anti-inflammatory responses in the normal brain. More importantly, laminarin treatment attenuated the brain damage and neuro-deficits caused by an ischemic stroke. Using bioinformatics analysis, they found that the beneficial effects of laminarin occur through the regulation of blood vessel development and brain cell death, suggesting that laminarin could be a novel nutraceutical for treating ischemic stroke.
Anti-cancer activities
Vaughan-Shaw et al. performed a feasibility study to evaluate whether high-dose cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) had a beneficial effect on the survival of patients with CRC (Vaughan-Shaw et al.). We recruited 122 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, 41 of whom were administered high-dose vitamin D3 daily. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin (25OHD) levels were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and compared with untreated CRC controls. They found that high-dose vitamin D supplementation was associated with higher perioperative 25OHD levels, lower rates of vitamin D insufficiency, and reduced early postoperative C-reactive protein levels. These findings suggested that vitamin D has beneficial effects on CRC survival outcomes.
Another prospective cohort study conducted by Temraz et al. investigated the prognostic value of vitamin C in patients with mCRC, recruiting adults with metastatic CRC (mCRC) (n = 46) and cancer-free controls (n = 45) (Temraz et al.). They found no significant difference in vitamin C intake between the two groups; however, patients have lower plasma vitamin C levels than healthy controls.
Sannappa Gowda et al. used an in vivo mouse mammary carcinoma model and an in vitro human breast cancer cell line model to study the hepatoprotective role of quercetin in breast cancer via the vitamin D receptor (VDR) (Sannappa Gowda et al.). Their results showed that quercetin treatment significantly decreased tumor volume, tumor angiogenesis, hepatic inflammation, and fibrosis. Furthermore, the results of the docking analysis confirmed the VDR-quercetin interaction, suggesting the involvement of VDR in anti-breast cancer activity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this issue suggests using nutraceuticals such as vitamin D3 and laminarin to treat cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. Several studies have delineated the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of these nutraceuticals. However, further preclinical studies are required to confirm these findings before the clinical use of these nutraceuticals.
Author contributions
The author confirms being the sole contributor of this work and has approved it for publication.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank all authors, reviewers, and editors who have contributed to this Research Topic.
Conflict of interest
The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher's note
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References
1. Nasri H, Baradaran A, Shirzad H, Rafieian-Kopaei M. New concepts in nutraceuticals as alternative for pharmaceuticals. Int J Prev Med. (2014) 5:1487–99.
2. Scarfò G, Piccarducci R, Daniele S, Franzoni F, Martini C. Exploring the role of lipid-binding proteins and oxidative stress in neurodegenerative disorders: a focus on the neuroprotective effects of nutraceutical supplementation and physical exercise. Antioxidants. (2022) 11:2116. doi: 10.3390/antiox11112116
3. Didier AJ, Stiene J, Fang L, Watkins D, Dworkin LD, Creeden JF. Antioxidant and anti-tumor effects of dietary vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidants. (2023) 12:632. doi: 10.3390/antiox12030632
4. Wiseman MJ. Nutrition and cancer: prevention and survival. Br J Nutr. (2019) 122:481–7. doi: 10.1017/S0007114518002222
Keywords: anti-cancer, anti-neurodegenerative, nutraceuticals, transcriptome, vitamins
Citation: Li R (2023) Editorial: Anti-cancer and anti-neurodegenerative activities of nutraceuticals. Front. Nutr. 10:1242145. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1242145
Received: 18 June 2023; Accepted: 05 July 2023;
Published: 12 July 2023.
Edited and reviewed by: Priyia Pusparajah, Monash University Malaysia, Malaysia
Copyright © 2023 Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Rong Li, lirong1278@163.com; rony_lirong@glmc.edu.cn