A new study has reported a mechanism of action by which the cruciferous vegetable compound benzyl isothiocyanate induces the death of human breast cancer cells. Benzyl isothiocyanate has been shown to inhibit the growth of both hormone receptor positive MCF-7 and hormone receptor negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells and also to retard mammary cancer development in mice by causing cell death. However, the way in which benzyl isothiocyanate causes cancer cell death is not fully understood. The authors show that the proapoptotic response to benzyl isothiocyanate is mediated by suppression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) protein expression.
Food sources of benzyl isothiocyanate
This study demonstrates that the anticancer activities of benzyl isothiocyanate are very specific. Brassica vegetables (see below) also contain other compounds such as sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol (I3C) that have been found to promote apoptosis, suppress cell cycle progression and inhibit angiogenesis of human breast cancer cells.
We recommend consuming broccoli and other brassica vegetables as food and against consuming broccoli pills that have been enhanced to boost the proportion of the presumed key anti-cancer chemicals. There is some evidence that concentrated cruciferous vegetable extracts can act as estrogen agonists and promote breast cancer cell proliferation. Also, the anticancer properties of these vegetables are likely to be the result of synergistic interaction of its various chemical components — isolated components have successfully inhibited proliferation in the laboratory, but their efficacy and safety in humans needs to be evaluated in large scale clinical trials.