Chemopreventive effects of diverse dietary phytochemicals against DMBA-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis via the induction of Nrf2-mediated cytoprotective antioxidant, detoxification, and DNA repair enzymes

Identifying agents that activate nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor-2 (Nrf2), a key regulator of various cytoprotective antioxidant, and detoxifying enzymes has evolved as a promising strategy for cancer chemoprevention. In the present study, we investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of structurally diverse phytochemicals- astaxanthin, blueberry, chlorophyllin, ellagic acid, and theaphenon-E on Nrf2 signaling, and xenobiotic-metabolizing and antioxidant enzymes in the 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinogenesis model. We observed that these phytochemicals induce nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 while downregulating its negative regulator, Keap-1. This was associated with reduced expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, the cytochrome P450 isoforms involved in the activation of DMBA, and the oxidative stress marker 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine coupled with upregulation of the phase II detoxification enzymes glutathione S-transferases and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 and the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. In addition, these dietary phytochemicals also enhanced the DNA repair enzymes 8-oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (OGG1), xeroderma pigmentosum D (XPD), xeroderma pigmentosum G (XPG), and x-ray repair cross complementing group 1 (XRCC1). Our data provide substantial evidence that the dietary phytochemicals inhibit the development of HBP carcinomas through the activation of Nrf2/Keap-1 signaling and by upregulating cytoprotective enzymes. The extent of the chemopreventive effects of the phytochemicals was in the order: chlorophyllin > blueberry > ellagic acid > astaxanthin > theaphenon-E. Thus these dietary phytochemicals that function as potent activators of Nrf2 and its orchestrated response are novel candidates for cancer chemoprevention. •Diverse dietary phytochemicals mediated chemopreventive effects by activating Nrf2.•Nrf2 activation: chlorophyllin > blueberry > ellagic acid > astaxanthin > theaphenon-E.•The phytochemicals induced nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 and suppression of Keap-1.•The phytochemicals downregulated expression of CYP1A1 and B1 and 8-OHdG.•The phytochemicals enhanced expression of detoxification and antioxidant enzymes.