EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) / DRP1/DNM1L Cancer Research Results

EGCG, EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate): Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) is found in green tea. 100 times more effective than Vitamin C and 25 times more effective than Vitamin E at protecting cells from damage associated with oxidative stress.
EGCG Epigallocatechin Gallate (Green Tea) -Catechin
Summary:
1. Concentration is a factor that could determine whether green tea polyphenols act as antioxidants or pro-oxidants.
2. Poor bioavailability: taking EGCG capsules without food was better.
3. Cancer dosage 4g/day (2g twice per day)? with curcumin may help (another ref says 700–2100 mg/d)
4. EGCG is susceptible to oxidative degradation.
5. “As for the pH level, the acidic environments enhance the stability of EGCG”.
6. “EGCG may enhance nanoparticle uptake by tumor cells”
7. Might be iron chelator (removing iron from cancer cells)
8. Claimed as synergistic effect with chemotherapy ( cisplatin, bleomycin, gemcitabine.
9. May suppress glucose metabolism, interfere with VEGF, downregulate NF-κB and MMP-9, down-regulation of androgen-regulated miRNA-21.
10. Take with red pepper powder, Capsicum ratio 25:1 (based on half life, they did every 4 hr) (chili pepper vanilloid capsaicin).
11. EGCG mediated ROS formation can upregulate CTR1 expression via the ERK1/2/NEAT1 pathway, which can increase the intake of chemotherapeutic drugs such as cisplatin in NSCLC cells and act as a chemosensitizer [58]
12. Matcha green tea has highest EGCG (2-3X) because consuming leaf.
13. EGCG is an ENOX2 inhibitor.
14. Nrf2 activator in both cancer and normal cells. This example of lung cancer show both directions in different cell lines, but both toward optimim level.
Biological activity, EGCG has been reported to exhibit a range of effects, including:
    Antioxidant activity: 10-50 μM
     Anti-inflammatory activity: 20-50 μM
     Anticancer activity: 50-100 μM
     Cardiovascular health: 20-50 μM
     Neuroprotective activity: 10-50 μM

Drinking a cup (or two cups) of green tea (in which one might ingest roughly 50–100 mg of EGCG from brewed tea) generally results in peak plasma EGCG concentrations in the range of approximately 0.1 to 0.6 μM.

With higher, supplement-type doses (e.g., oral doses in the 500 mg–800 mg range that are sometimes studied for clinical benefits), peak plasma concentrations in humans can reach the low micromolar range, often reported around ~1–2 μM and in some cases up to 5 μM.

Reported values can range from about 25–50 mg of EGCG per gram of matcha powder.
In cases where the matcha is exceptionally catechin-rich, the content could reach 200–250 mg or more in 5 g.

-Peak plasma concentration roughly 1 to 2 hours after oral ingestion.
-Elimination half-life of EGCG in plasma is commonly reported to be in the range of about 3 to 5 hours.

Supplemental EGCG
Dose (mg)   ≈ Peak Plasma EGCG (µM)
~50 mg          ≈ 0.1–0.3 µM
~100 mg         ≈ 0.2–0.6 µM
~250 mg         ≈ 0.5–1.0 µM
~500 mg         ≈ 1–2 µM
~800 mg or higher  ≈ 1–5 µM

50mg of EGCG in 1g of matcha tea(1/2 teaspoon)

Studies on green tea extracts have employed doses roughly equivalent to 300–800 mg/day of EGCG. Excessive doses can cause liver toxicity in some cases.

Methods to improve bioavailability
-Lipid-based carriers or nanoemulsions
-Polymer-based nanoparticles or encapsulation
-Co-administration with ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
-Co-administration of adjuvants like piperine (perhaps sunflower lecithin and chitosan) -Using multiple smaller doses rather than one large single dose.
-Taking EGCG on an empty stomach or under fasting conditions, or aligning dosing with optimal pH conditions in the GI tract, may improve its absorption.(acidic environment is generally more favorable for its stability and absorption).
– EGCG is more stable under acidic conditions. In the stomach, where the pH is typically around 1.5 to 3.5, EGCG is less prone to degradation compared to the more neutral or basic environments of the small intestine.
- At neutral (around pH 7) or alkaline pH, EGCG undergoes auto-oxidation, reducing the effective concentration available for absorption.
– Although the stomach’s acidic pH helps maintain EGCG’s stability, most absorption occurs in the small intestine, where the pH is closer to neutral.
– To counterbalance the inherent instability in the intestine, strategies such as co-administration of pH-modifying agents (like vitamin C) are sometimes used. These agents help to maintain a slightly acidic environment in the gut microenvironment, potentially improving EGCG stability during its transit and absorption.
– The use of acidifiers or buffering agents in supplements may help preserve EGCG until it reaches the absorption sites.

-Note half-life 3–5 hours.
- low BioAv 1%? despite its limited absorption, it is rapidly disseminated throughout the body
Pathways:
- induce ROS production
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, GRP78↑, Ca+2↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓, Prx,
- Does NOT Lower AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↑, TrxR↓**, SOD, GSH Catalase HO1 GPx
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, p38↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : NLRP3↓, IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, IGF-1↓, uPA↓, VEGF↓, FAK↓, RhoA↓, NF-κB↓, TGF-β↓, α-SMA↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : HDAC↓, DNMTs↓, EZH2↓, P53↑, HSP↓, Sp proteins↓,
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, cyclin E↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, CDK6↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TNF-α↓, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓, TOP1↓,
- inhibits glycolysis /Warburg Effect and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDH↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PFKs↓, ECAR↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, Glucose↓, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Notch↓, FGF↓, PDGF↓, EGFR↓, Integrins↓,
- inhibits Cancer Stem Cells : CSC↓, Hh↓, GLi↓, GLi1↓, CD133↓, CD24↓, β-catenin↓, n-myc↓, Notch↓, OCT4↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, ERK↓, JNK, - SREBP (related to cholesterol).
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective(possible damage at high dose), CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Primary Interpretation Notes
1 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS (dose-, metal-, context-dependent) ↓ ROS / buffered Conditional Driver Biphasic redox modulation EGCG can act as a pro-oxidant in cancer cells (often metal-catalyzed) while functioning as an antioxidant in normal cells
2 Mitochondrial integrity / intrinsic apoptosis ↓ ΔΨm; ↑ caspase activation ↔ preserved Driver Execution of intrinsic apoptosis Mitochondrial stress and apoptosis follow ROS elevation in cancer cells
3 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activation ↓ inflammatory NF-κB tone Driver Suppression of survival and inflammatory transcription NF-κB inhibition explains chemosensitization and reduced survival signaling
4 PI3K → AKT → mTOR axis ↓ AKT / ↓ mTOR ↔ adaptive suppression Secondary Reduced growth and anabolic signaling AKT/mTOR inhibition contributes to growth suppression and stress responses
5 MAPK stress signaling (JNK / p38) ↑ JNK / ↑ p38 ↔ minimal Secondary Stress-activated apoptosis signaling MAPK activation often follows ROS increase and supports apoptotic signaling
6 Cell cycle regulation ↑ G1 or G2/M arrest ↔ largely spared Phenotypic Cytostatic growth control Cell-cycle arrest reflects upstream signaling disruption rather than direct CDK inhibition
7 HIF-1α / VEGF hypoxia–angiogenesis axis ↓ HIF-1α; ↓ VEGF ↔ minimal Secondary Anti-angiogenic pressure EGCG interferes with hypoxia-driven tumor adaptation
8 NRF2 antioxidant response ↑ NRF2 (adaptive, often insufficient) ↑ NRF2 (protective) Adaptive Stress compensation NRF2 reflects response to redox perturbation rather than a kill mechanism


DRP1/DNM1L, DRP1 / DNM1L — mitochondrial fission regulator: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:

DRP1 / DNM1L

Item Description
Target name DRP1 / DNM1L
Full name Dynamin-related protein 1; Dynamin-1-like protein
Gene DNM1L
Primary function Core GTPase regulator of mitochondrial fission; also involved in peroxisomal division, mitosis-linked mitochondrial remodeling, mitophagy, apoptosis regulation, and mitochondrial quality control.
Target class Mitochondrial dynamics / mitochondrial fission / metabolic stress response target
Main disease logic Pathological DRP1 activation can drive excessive mitochondrial fragmentation, impaired oxidative phosphorylation, ROS production, calcium stress, mitophagy imbalance, inflammatory signaling, and cell survival adaptation.
Preferred modulation direction Inhibit excessive DRP1 activation or disrupt pathological DRP1-FIS1 signaling; avoid complete suppression of basal mitochondrial fission.
Key adaptors / related targets FIS1, MFF, MiD49, MiD51, OPA1, MFN1, MFN2, PINK1, PRKN/Parkin
Major caution DRP1 is required for normal mitochondrial maintenance, mitosis, neuronal function, and stress adaptation. Global inhibition could impair normal mitochondrial quality control.

Cancer relevance

Aspect Cancer relevance Likely Desired Direction
Proliferation Many cancer models show increased DRP1-mediated fission supporting mitochondrial redistribution, mitosis, and rapid growth. Down / inhibit excessive DRP1
Metabolic adaptation DRP1 can support metabolic remodeling, mitochondrial fragmentation, altered oxidative phosphorylation, glycolytic adaptation, and survival under stress. Down in DRP1-dependent tumors
Migration / invasion / metastasis DRP1-driven mitochondrial fission can support motility and invasive behavior by changing mitochondrial distribution and energy availability. Down
Cancer stemness / tumor-initiating cells DRP1 and the DRP1-FIS1 axis are implicated in tumor-initiating cell expansion and aggressive phenotypes in some cancers. Down
Therapy resistance Excessive mitochondrial fission may contribute to resistance to chemotherapy, radiation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis depending on tumor type. Down or context-specific
Apoptosis caveat DRP1 can also participate in apoptosis-associated mitochondrial fragmentation. Therefore, indiscriminate DRP1 blockade could theoretically reduce apoptosis in some contexts. Context-dependent
Database cancer rating High mechanistic relevance; strongest as a mitochondrial-stress, invasion, tumor stemness, and therapy-resistance target. Translational status remains preclinical. Add as cancer target

Alzheimer's disease relevance

Aspect Alzheimer's disease relevance Likely Desired Direction
Aβ toxicity Aβ has been reported to interact with DRP1 and promote excessive mitochondrial fission, ROS generation, energetic failure, and synaptic dysfunction. Down / inhibit excessive DRP1
Tau pathology Hyperphosphorylated tau is linked to abnormal mitochondrial dynamics and may worsen DRP1-associated mitochondrial fragmentation. Down
Synaptic function Excessive DRP1 activation can impair mitochondrial transport, ATP availability, and synaptic maintenance. Down
Oxidative stress DRP1-associated mitochondrial fragmentation can increase ROS and reduce mitochondrial membrane potential and respiratory efficiency. Down
Neuroinflammation Altered DRP1 activation has been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory signaling, including NLRP3-related pathways in AD models. Down / normalize
Therapeutic strategy Selective inhibition of pathological DRP1-FIS1 interaction, such as with P110-like strategies, is more attractive than complete DRP1 inhibition. Normalize fission
Database AD rating High mechanistic relevance; strong preclinical rationale for AD mitochondrial dysfunction, Aβ/tau toxicity, ROS, synaptic failure, and neuroinflammation. No established clinical DRP1-directed AD therapy. Add as AD target

Modulators / tool compounds

Compound / Strategy Mechanism Database Note
P110 peptide Selective inhibitor of pathological DRP1-FIS1 interaction; designed to reduce excessive fission while sparing basal fission. Useful reference tool compound; preclinical, not a general supplement or approved therapy.
Mdivi-1 Historically used as a DRP1/fission inhibitor, but has important off-target effects including mitochondrial complex I inhibition. Use cautiously in database notes; not a clean DRP1-specific probe.
Genetic DNM1L knockdown / inhibition Reduces DRP1 expression or activity and can suppress mitochondrial fission in experimental systems. Mechanistic research tool only.
Targeting DRP1-FIS1 axis Blocks a pathological receptor interaction involved in excessive fission. Probably the most attractive disease-modifying approach for AD and some cancers.

Overall conclusion

In cancer, DRP1 is mainly relevant to proliferation, invasion, tumor-initiating cells, metabolic adaptation, and therapy resistance. In Alzheimer's disease, DRP1 is mainly relevant to excessive mitochondrial fission, Aβ/tau toxicity, oxidative stress, synaptic dysfunction, energetic failure, and neuroinflammation. The preferred therapeutic logic is normalization or selective inhibition of pathological DRP1 activation, especially DRP1-FIS1 signaling, rather than complete blockade of mitochondrial fission.



Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
6416- CUR,  QC,  FA,  RES,  EGCG  Natural products targeting mitochondria: emerging therapeutics for age-associated neurological disorders
- Review, AD, NA
*DRP1/DNM1L↓, *FIS1↓, *MFN2↑, *OPA1↑, *DRP1/DNM1L↓, *FIS1↓, *OPA1↑, *MFN1↑, *MFN2↑, *DRP1/DNM1L↓, *FIS1↓, *MFN1↑, *MFN2↑, *memory↑, *mtDam↓, *DRP1/DNM1L↓, *FIS1↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 1 of 1

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 1

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


NA, unassigned ⓘ

DRP1/DNM1L↓, 4,   FIS1↓, 4,   MFN1↑, 2,   MFN2↑, 3,   OPA1↑, 2,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

mtDam↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

memory↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 7

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: DRP1/DNM1L, DRP1 / DNM1L — mitochondrial fission regulator
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells

Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:73  Target#:1487  State#:%  Dir#:1
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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