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If you did not already have enough reason to eat your vegetables, this new study says that broccoli contains an amazing ingredient that could be the "Achilles' heel" of cancer.
Broccoli is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, which includes cauliflower, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts.
And though many people do not like their taste and they can not be good for nursing moms-these vegetables contain a tiny but potent molecule that activates the gene responsible for cancerous tumor growth, known as WWP1.
Study lead author Dr. Pier Paolo Pandolfi, director of the Cancer Center and Cancer Research Institute at Beth Israel Medical Center Deaconess, said the discovery could lead to new cancer treatment.
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"The study's really exciting," Pandolfi told the Harvard Gazette. "I've been bombarded by journalists – because of the broccoli connection, let's be honest. Forget what you think about science, the fact that [we found] something that your grandma would say [is] good for you, it's appealing. "
Pandolfi and his team suspected that a gene called PTEN could cause irregularities and defects in WWP1.
Upon testing their theory on cancer-prone mice and human cells, they discovered that WWP1 produces an enzyme that is over-powered by the tumor-suppressor activity of PTEN-but the indole-3-carbinol (I3C) that can reawaken the cancer-fighting properties of PTEN.
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Dr. Yu-Ru Lee, Dr. Yu-Ru Lee, commented on this article by Dr. Yu-Ru Lee, who pointed out that he had 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) of uncooked Brussel sprouts every day in their anti-cancer benefits.
Regardless, Pandolfi told the Gazette says the discovery could be key to unlocking "one of the most important tumor suppressors in the history of cancer genetics."
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"This pathway emerges not only as a regulator for tumor growth control, but also as an Achilles' heel we can target with therapeutic options," said Pandolfi. "These findings lead to a long-sought tumor suppressor reactivation approach to cancer treatment."
The team plans to continue their research into cancer patients and trigger tumor-suppressing properties in PTEN.
The study was published in the journal Science.
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