Sulforaphane (mainly Broccoli) / Cyt‑c Cancer Research Results

SFN, Sulforaphane (mainly Broccoli): Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Sulforaphane is an isothiocyanate derived from glucoraphanin, a compound found predominantly in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. It is well known for its potent antioxidant and detoxification properties and has gained significant attention for its potential chemopreventive and anticancer effects.

Summary
1.primarily attenuates both DNMTs and HDACs, individually suppressing DNA hypermethylation and histones deacetylation, ultimately upregulating NRF2 (best known for NRF2↑)
2.Antioxidant Activity:
• Nrf2 activation leads to the upregulation of a host of antioxidant and detoxification enzymes (e.g., glutathione S-transferase, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1, heme oxygenase-1), which in turn decrease oxidative stress and lower ROS levels.
3.Pro-oxidant Effects in Cancer Cells and Under High-Dose Conditions (>=10uM?)
• In certain cancer cell types or at higher concentrations, sulforaphane can paradoxically lead to an increase in ROS levels.
• The elevated ROS may overwhelm the cancer cells’ antioxidant defenses, leading to oxidative stress–mediated cell death (apoptosis).
• This context-dependent pro-oxidant effect has been explored for its potential in selectively targeting cancer cells while leaving normal cells less affected.

- Might not be a good candidate for pro-oxidant strategy depending on concentration >10uM?.
- Strong Activation of Nrf2 (best known for) at low to moderate concentrations, hence reduces oxidative stress in both cancer and normal cells.
- AMPK signaling activated by SFN, high concentrations of ROS are produced
- ROS generation also results in depletion of GSH levels
- HIF-1α and VEGF inhibitor
- Might be effective against cancer stem cells
- But I would not combine that with radiation, as Sulforaphane activates the anti-oxidant master regulator of cells.
- “I very much agree: Sulforaphane is a very good addition, even more when the choice is an anti-oxidant therapy”
- well known as HDAC inhibitor (typically 5-10um concentrations)
-A transient decrease in HDAC activity has also been observed in healthy humans 3 h after providing a daily 200 µM SFN dose, resulting in a plasma concentration of SFN metabolites of 0.1–0.2 µM.


Dose/Bioavailabilty information:
SFN at a daily dose of 2.2 µM/kg body weight, with a mean plasma level of 0.13 µM Sprout 127.6 grams = 205uM±19.9 content yields SFN 0.5 to 2uM in plasma.
However, it is important to consider that at lower doses, specifically 2.5 μM, SFN resulted in a slight increase in cell proliferation by 5.18–11.84% within a 6 to 48 h treatment window.
-A therapeutic dose starts at approx 60 grams of the sprouts.
-100 g of Broccoli sprouts contain about 15–20 mg of sulforaphane
–Organic Broccoli Sprout Powder (Health Ranger) – Avmacol® – NanoPSA (a blend of NanoStilbene™ and Broccoli Sprout Extract).
- -750 mg Sulforaphane Glucosinolate in Daily One Serving (2 capsules) (30mg Sulforaphane)

Total sulforaphane metabolite concentration in plasma was the highest (>2 μM) at 3 h in human subjects who consumed fresh broccoli sprouts (40g)
-human studies with broccoli sprouts or extracts report plasma sulforaphane levels in the low micromolar range (typically 1–2 µM) after ingesting realistic, food-based quantities of sprouts (often in the range of 30–50 g of sprouts or a concentrated extract).

BroccoSprouts are young broccoli sprouts that have garnered attention because they contain high amounts of glucoraphanin—a precursor molecule to sulforaphane. Studies have shown that broccoli sprouts can have sulforaphane precursor levels (i.e., glucoraphanin levels) that are 10 to 100 times higher than those found in mature broccoli heads. Glucoraphanin content in broccoli sprouts can range anywhere from about 30 to over 100 mg per 100 grams of fresh sprouts. Once activated (e.g., during consumption when myrosinase acts on glucoraphanin), these levels translate into a significant sulforaphane yield, meaning that even a small amount of broccoli sprouts can deliver a potent dose of this bioactive compound.

Importantly, glucoraphanin itself is not bioactive. Rather, enzymatic hydrolysis by myrosinase, present in the plant tissue or in the mammalian microbiome, is necessary to form the active component, SFN.
- GFN (glucoraphanin) is hydrolyzed in vivo to SFN via the myrosinase, which is present in gut bacteria as well as the plant itself (also in Radish)
- Do not cook the vegetables, or if you do add myrosinase back in by adding radish.
- mild heat of broccoli (60–70 °C) inactivated ESP and preserved myrosinase and increased SF yield 3–7-fold
- chewing of fresh broccoli sprouts increases the interaction of glucosinolates with myrosinase and consequently, increases the bioavailability of SFN in the body

-Note half-life 2-3 hrs.
BioAv is good (15-80%) but requires myrosinase
Pathways:
- induce ROS production
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, GRP78↑, Ca+2↑, Cyt‑c, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓, Prx,
- Lowers AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓(contrary, actually most raises NRF2), TrxR↓**, GSH↓, Catalase↓(contrary), HO1↓(contrary), 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↓, VEGF↓, ROCK1↓, FAK↓, RhoA↓, NF-κB↓, CXCR4↓, 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↓,
- inhibits glycolysis /Warburg Effect and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDH↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, ECAR↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Notch↓, PDGF↓, EGFR↓, Integrins↓,
- inhibits Cancer Stem Cells : CSC↓, Hh↓, GLi↓, GLi1↓, CD133↓, β-catenin↓, sox2↓, notch2↓, nestin↓, OCT4↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, ERK↓, 5↓, - SREBP (related to cholesterol).
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Primary Interpretation Notes
1 NRF2 / KEAP1 antioxidant response ↑ NRF2 (often insufficient for rescue) ↑ NRF2 (protective) Driver Electrophile-driven stress response Sulforaphane covalently modifies KEAP1, activating NRF2 signaling
2 Histone deacetylases (HDACs) ↓ HDAC activity ↔ mild modulation Driver Epigenetic reprogramming HDAC inhibition alters transcription of cell-cycle and apoptosis genes
3 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS (transient / stress-inducing) ↓ ROS Secondary Redox signaling perturbation ROS rise reflects electrophilic stress rather than classic redox cycling
4 Cell cycle regulation ↑ G2/M or G1 arrest ↔ largely spared Secondary Cytostatic growth control Cell-cycle arrest is a prominent phenotype in cancer cells
5 Intrinsic apoptosis ↑ apoptosis (context-dependent) ↔ protected Phenotypic Threshold-dependent cell death Apoptosis occurs when stress exceeds adaptive capacity
6 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activation ↓ inflammatory NF-κB tone Secondary Suppression of inflammatory survival programs NF-κB inhibition supports anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects


Cyt‑c, cyt-c Release into Cytosol: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
Cytochrome c
** The term "release of cytochrome c" ** an increase in level for the cytosol.
Small hemeprotein found loosely associated with the inner membrane of the mitochondrion where it plays a critical role in cellular respiration. Cytochrome c is highly water-soluble, unlike other cytochromes. It is capable of undergoing oxidation and reduction as its iron atom converts between the ferrous and ferric forms, but does not bind oxygen. It also plays a major role in cell apoptosis.

The term "release of cytochrome c" refers to a critical step in the process of programmed cell death, also known as apoptosis.
In its new location—the cytosol—cytochrome c participates in the apoptotic signaling pathway by helping to form the apoptosome, which activates caspases that execute cell death.
Cytochrome c is a small protein normally located in the mitochondrial intermembrane space. Its primary role in healthy cells is to participate in the electron transport chain, a process that helps produce energy (ATP) through oxidative phosphorylation.
Mitochondrial outer membrane permeability leads to the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol.
The release of cytochrome c is a pivotal event in apoptosis where cytochrome c moves from the mitochondria to the cytosol, initiating a chain reaction that leads to programmed cell death.

On the one hand, cytochrome c can promote cancer cell survival and proliferation by regulating the activity of various signaling pathways, such as the PI3K/AKT pathway. This can lead to increased cell growth and resistance to apoptosis, which are hallmarks of cancer.
On the other hand, cytochrome c can also induce apoptosis in cancer cells by interacting with other proteins, such as Apaf-1 and caspase-9. This can lead to the activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, which can result in the death of cancer cells.
Overexpressed in Breast, Lung, Colon, and Prostrate.
Underexpressed in Ovarian, and Pancreatic.


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
1735- SFN,    Activation of multiple molecular mechanisms for apoptosis in human malignant glioblastoma T98G and U87MG cells treated with sulforaphane
- in-vitro, GBM, T98G - in-vitro, GBM, U87MG
Apoptosis↑, Ca+2↑, Bax:Bcl2↑, cal2↑, Casp12↑, Casp9↑, Cyt‑c↑,
3192- SFN,    Transcriptome analysis reveals a dynamic and differential transcriptional response to sulforaphane in normal and prostate cancer cells and suggests a role for Sp1 in chemoprevention
- in-vitro, Pca, PC3
Sp1/3/4↓, selectivity↑, NRF2↑, HDAC↓, DNMTs↓, TumCCA↑, selectivity↑, HO-1↑, NQO1↑, CDK2↓, TumCP↓, BID↑, Smad1↑, Diablo↑, ICAD↑, Cyt‑c↑, IAP1↑, HSP27↑, *Cyt‑c↓, *IAP1↓, *HSP27↓, survivin↓, CDK4↓, VEGF↓, AR↓,
1458- SFN,    Sulforaphane Impact on Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Bladder Carcinoma
- Review, Bladder, NA
HDAC↓, eff↓, TumW↓, TumW↓, angioG↓, *toxicity↓, GutMicro↝, AntiCan↑, ROS↑, MMP↓, Cyt‑c↑, Bax:Bcl2↑, Casp3↑, Casp9↑, Casp8∅, cl‑PARP↑, TRAIL↑, DR5↑, eff↓, NRF2↑, ER Stress↑, COX2↓, EGFR↓, HER2/EBBR2↓, ChemoSen↑, NF-kB↓, TumCCA?, p‑Akt↓, p‑mTOR↓, p70S6↓, p19↑, P21↑, CD44↓, CSCs↓,
1468- SFN,    Cellular responses to dietary cancer chemopreventive agent D,L-sulforaphane in human prostate cancer cells are initiated by mitochondrial reactive oxygen species
- in-vitro, Pca, LNCaP - in-vitro, Pca, PC3
ROS↑, DNAdam↑, MMP↓, Cyt‑c↑, TumCCA↑,
1471- SFN,    ROS-mediated activation of AMPK plays a critical role in sulforaphane-induced apoptosis and mitotic arrest in AGS human gastric cancer cells
- in-vitro, GC, AGS
TumCP↓, Apoptosis↑, TumCCA↑, CycB/CCNB1↑, P21↑, p‑H3↑, p‑AMPK↑, eff↓, MMP↓, Cyt‑c↑, ROS↑, eff↓,
1723- SFN,    Sulforaphane as a potential remedy against cancer: Comprehensive mechanistic review
- Review, Var, NA
*NRF2↑, ROS↑, MMP↓, Cyt‑c↑, cl‑PARP↑, Apoptosis↑, AMPK↑, GSH↓,
1722- SFN,    Sulforaphane as an anticancer molecule: mechanisms of action, synergistic effects, enhancement of drug safety, and delivery systems
- Review, Var, NA
TumCCA↑, CYP1A1↓, CYP3A4↓, Cyt‑c↑, Casp9↑, Apoptosis↑, ROS↑, MAPK↑, P53↑, BAX↑, ChemoSen↑, HDAC↓, GSH↓, HO-1↑,
1726- SFN,    Sulforaphane: A Broccoli Bioactive Phytocompound with Cancer Preventive Potential
- Review, Var, NA
Dose↝, eff↝, IL1β↓, IL6↓, IL12↓, TNF-α↓, COX2↓, CXCR4↓, MPO↓, HSP70/HSPA5↓, HSP90↓, VCAM-1↓, IKKα↓, NF-kB↓, HO-1↑, Casp3↑, Casp7↑, Casp8↑, Casp9↑, cl‑PARP↑, Cyt‑c↑, Diablo↑, CHOP↑, survivin↓, XIAP↓, p38↑, Fas↑, PUMA↑, VEGF↓, Hif1a↓, Twist↓, Zeb1↓, Vim↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, E-cadherin↑, N-cadherin↓, Snail↓, CD44↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, cycA1/CCNA1↓, CycB/CCNB1↓, cycE/CCNE↓, CDK4↓, CDK6↓, p50↓, P53↑, P21↑, GSH↑, SOD↑, GSTs↑, mTOR↓, Akt↓, PI3K↓, β-catenin/ZEB1↓, IGF-1↓, cMyc↓, CSCs↓,
1730- SFN,    Sulforaphane: An emergent anti-cancer stem cell agent
- Review, Var, NA
BioAv↓, BioAv↑, GSTA1↑, P450↓, TumCCA↑, HDAC↓, P21↑, p27↑, DNMT1↓, DNMT3A↓, cycD1/CCND1↑, DNAdam↑, BAX↑, Cyt‑c↑, Apoptosis↑, ROS↑, AIF↑, CDK1↑, Casp3↑, Casp8↑, Casp9↑, NRF2↑, NF-kB↓, TNF-α↓, IL1β↓, CSCs↓, CD133↓, CD44↓, ALDH↓, Nanog↓, OCT4↓, hTERT/TERT↓, MMP2↓, EMT↓, ALDH1A1↓, Wnt↓, NOTCH↓, ChemoSen↑, *Ki-67↓, *HDAC3↓, *HDAC↓,
1482- SFN,    Sulforaphane induces apoptosis in T24 human urinary bladder cancer cells through a reactive oxygen species-mediated mitochondrial pathway: the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum stress and the Nrf2 signaling pathway
- in-vitro, Bladder, T24/HTB-9
tumCV↓, Apoptosis↑, Cyt‑c↑, Bax:Bcl2↑, Casp9↑, Casp3↑, Casp8∅, cl‑PARP↑, ROS↑, MMP↓, eff↓, ER Stress↑, p‑NRF2↑, HO-1↑,
1480- SFN,    Sulforaphane Induces Cell Death Through G2/M Phase Arrest and Triggers Apoptosis in HCT 116 Human Colon Cancer Cells
- in-vitro, CRC, HCT116
tumCV↓, TumCCA↑, Apoptosis↑, cycA1/CCNA1↑, CycB/CCNB1↑, CDC25↓, CDK1↓, ROS↑, eff↓, Cyt‑c↑, AIF↑, ER Stress↑,
1481- SFN,  docx,    Combination of Low-Dose Sulforaphane and Docetaxel on Mitochondrial Function and Metabolic Reprogramming in Prostate Cancer Cell Lines
- in-vitro, Pca, LNCaP - in-vitro, Pca, PC3
ChemoSen↑, Casp3↑, ROS↑, Casp8↑, Cyt‑c↑, Glycolysis↓, GSH↓, GSH/GSSG↓, *toxicity↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 12 of 12

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 12

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

CYP1A1↓, 1,   GSH↓, 3,   GSH↑, 1,   GSH/GSSG↓, 1,   GSTA1↑, 1,   GSTs↑, 1,   HO-1↑, 4,   MPO↓, 1,   NQO1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 3,   p‑NRF2↑, 1,   ROS↑, 9,   SOD↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

AIF↑, 2,   CDC25↓, 1,   MMP↓, 5,   XIAP↓, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

AMPK↑, 1,   p‑AMPK↑, 1,   cMyc↓, 1,   CYP3A4↓, 1,   Glycolysis↓, 1,  

Cell Death

Akt↓, 1,   p‑Akt↓, 1,   Apoptosis↑, 7,   BAX↑, 2,   Bax:Bcl2↑, 3,   BID↑, 1,   Casp12↑, 1,   Casp3↑, 5,   Casp7↑, 1,   Casp8↑, 3,   Casp8∅, 2,   Casp9↑, 6,   Cyt‑c↑, 12,   Diablo↑, 2,   DR5↑, 1,   Fas↑, 1,   hTERT/TERT↓, 1,   IAP1↑, 1,   ICAD↑, 1,   MAPK↑, 1,   p27↑, 1,   p38↑, 1,   PUMA↑, 1,   survivin↓, 2,   TRAIL↑, 1,  

Kinase & Signal Transduction

HER2/EBBR2↓, 1,   p70S6↓, 1,   Sp1/3/4↓, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics

p‑H3↑, 1,   tumCV↓, 2,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress

CHOP↑, 1,   ER Stress↑, 3,   HSP27↑, 1,   HSP70/HSPA5↓, 1,   HSP90↓, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair

DNAdam↑, 2,   DNMT1↓, 1,   DNMT3A↓, 1,   DNMTs↓, 1,   P53↑, 2,   cl‑PARP↑, 4,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence

CDK1↓, 1,   CDK1↑, 1,   CDK2↓, 1,   CDK4↓, 2,   cycA1/CCNA1↓, 1,   cycA1/CCNA1↑, 1,   CycB/CCNB1↓, 1,   CycB/CCNB1↑, 2,   cycD1/CCND1↓, 1,   cycD1/CCND1↑, 1,   cycE/CCNE↓, 1,   p19↑, 1,   P21↑, 4,   TumCCA?, 1,   TumCCA↑, 6,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

ALDH↓, 1,   ALDH1A1↓, 1,   CD133↓, 1,   CD44↓, 3,   CSCs↓, 3,   EMT↓, 1,   HDAC↓, 4,   IGF-1↓, 1,   mTOR↓, 1,   p‑mTOR↓, 1,   Nanog↓, 1,   NOTCH↓, 1,   OCT4↓, 1,   PI3K↓, 1,   Wnt↓, 1,  

Migration

Ca+2↑, 1,   cal2↑, 1,   E-cadherin↑, 1,   MMP2↓, 2,   MMP9↓, 1,   N-cadherin↓, 1,   Smad1↑, 1,   Snail↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 2,   Twist↓, 1,   VCAM-1↓, 1,   Vim↓, 1,   Zeb1↓, 1,   β-catenin/ZEB1↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature

angioG↓, 1,   EGFR↓, 1,   Hif1a↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 2,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

COX2↓, 2,   CXCR4↓, 1,   IKKα↓, 1,   IL12↓, 1,   IL1β↓, 2,   IL6↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 3,   p50↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 2,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors

AR↓, 1,   CDK6↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

BioAv↓, 1,   BioAv↑, 1,   ChemoSen↑, 4,   Dose↝, 1,   eff↓, 6,   eff↝, 1,   P450↓, 1,   selectivity↑, 2,  

Clinical Biomarkers

AR↓, 1,   EGFR↓, 1,   GutMicro↝, 1,   HER2/EBBR2↓, 1,   hTERT/TERT↓, 1,   IL6↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

AntiCan↑, 1,   TumW↓, 2,  
Total Targets: 138

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

NRF2↑, 1,  

Cell Death

Cyt‑c↓, 1,   IAP1↓, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress

HSP27↓, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

HDAC↓, 1,   HDAC3↓, 1,  

Migration

Ki-67↓, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers

Ki-67↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

toxicity↓, 2,  
Total Targets: 9

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: Cyt‑c, cyt-c Release into Cytosol
12 Sulforaphane (mainly Broccoli)
1 Docetaxel
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#:156  Target#:77  State#:%  Dir#:2
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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