Impact of epicatechin and theobromine in ROS production and the inflammation profile of colon cancer cells

Abstract

[eng] Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed incident cancer in males and the second in females. This type of tumor is related to inflammatory bowel diseases. It is known, therefore, that inflamma-on is a factor that influences the development of the oxida-ve stress process. Oxida-ve stress and mitochondrial func-onality play a very important role in carcinogenesis, progression and invasion. Oxida-ve stress allows cells to be more malignant during early stages and during metastasis but at the same -me too high levels of ROS can induce apoptosis. Also, ROS are linked to lots of diseases, including chronic inflamma-on which is associated with an increased risk of several human cancers, such as CRC. Cytokines are molecular messengers of the innate and adap-ve immune system that play an important role in inflamma-on, being released in response to an infec-on or a -ssue injury. Some studies have shown their high expression in tumors and they ability to modulate the inflamma-on profile in the cell. Epicatechin, a polyphenol, and theobromine, an alkaloid similar to caffeine, both present in cocoa, exert an an--inflammatory and modulatory func-on in the development of colorectal cancer. Therefore, we studied the effects of different concentracions of epicatechin and theobromine on cellular viability and ROS produc-on in colon cancer cell lines, HT29 and SW620. We also analysed the expression of some pro- and an--inflammatory cytokines in response to treatment with 10µM of epicatechin and 50µM of theobromine, such as IL-8, IL-1 and their receptors, IL-6 receptor, VEGF-β, TGF-β, TNF-α and PPAR-�. Results showed an increase in cellular viability on cells treated with growing concentra-ons of epicatechin and theobromine, and a decrease of ROS produc-on in the experimental groups, compared to control. Moreover, the inflamma-on role of some cytokines expression was influenced by treatment with 10µM of epicatechin and 50µM of theobromine, sugges-ng in some cases a nonbeneficial strategy against the development of tumors and colorectal cancer.