Grape Seed Extract Kills Laboratory Leukemia Cells, Proving Value of Natural

by News Release : Jan 4, 2009 : Newswise/American Association for Cancer
Research
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/547664/


"What everyone seeks is an agent that has an effect on cancer cells but leaves
normal cells alone, and this shows that grape seed extract fits into this
category."
An extract from grape seeds forces laboratory leukemia cells to commit cell
suicide, according to researchers from the University of Kentucky. They found
that within 24 hours, 76 percent of leukemia cells had died after being exposed
to the extract.
The investigators, who report their findings in the January 1, 2009, issue of
Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer
Research, also teased apart the cell signaling pathway associated with use of
grape seed extract that led to cell death, or apoptosis. They found that the
extract activates JNK, a protein that regulates the apoptotic pathway.
While grape seed extract has shown activity in a number of laboratory cancer
cell lines, including skin, breast, colon, lung, stomach and prostate cancers,
no one had tested the extract in hematological cancers nor had the precise
mechanism for activity been revealed.
"These results could have implications for the incorporation of agents such as
grape seed extract into prevention or treatment of hematological malignancies
and possibly other cancers," said the study's lead author, Xianglin Shi, Ph.D.,
professor in the Graduate Center for Toxicology at the University of Kentucky.
"What everyone seeks is an agent that has an effect on cancer cells but leaves
normal cells alone, and this shows that grape seed extract fits into this
category," he said.
Shi adds, however, that the research is not far enough along to suggest that
people should eat grapes, grape seeds, or grape skin in excess to stave off
cancer. "This is very promising research, but it is too early to say this is
chemo-protective."
Hematological cancers—leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma—accounted for an estimated
118,310 new cancer cases and almost 54,000 deaths in 2006, ranking these cancers
as the fourth leading cause of cancer incidence and death in the U.S.
Given that epidemiological evidence shows that eating vegetables and fruits
helps prevent cancer development, Shi and his colleagues have been studying
chemicals known as proanthocyanidins in fruits that contribute to this effect.
Shi has found that apple peel extract contains these flavonoids, which have
antioxidant activity, and which cause apoptosis in several cancer cell lines but
not in normal cells. Based on those studies, and findings from other researchers
that grape seed extract reduces breast tumors in rats and skin tumors in mice,
they looked at the effect of the compound in leukemia cells.
Using a commercially available grape seed extract, Shi exposed leukemia cells to
the extract in different doses and found the marked effect in causing apoptosis
in these cells at one of the higher doses.
They also discovered that the extract does not affect normal cells, although
they don't know why.
"This is a natural compound that appears to have relatively important
properties," Shi said.

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