The effects of berry extracts on cell signaling pathways: Leading to cellular transformation

Abstract

Cell signaling pathways play fundamental roles in modulating various biological processes such as cell cycle, cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. The abnormal activation of several signaling pathways has been linked to the development of various cancers, whereas the inhibition of these pathways has also been considered as a strategy for cancer prevention and therapy. A series of in vitro studies have shown that berry extracts may exert their chemopreventive effects through targeting different cellular signaling pathways, including transcription factors (NFκB, AP-1), their upstream kinases (RTKs, PI3K/Akt, MAPKs), and their downstream target genes (COX-2, VEGF). This chapter outlined the current progresses in this research area. It should be noted that more efforts are needed to address the direct targets of berry extracts and their active compounds, as well as the crosstalk among the various pathways that are inhibited for chemopreventive effects by the berries and berry components because of the complexity and diversity of cancers, cell signaling pathways, and extracts themselves. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.