Introduction

Nutrigenomics is the scientific study of the relationship between nutrition, health and the human genome. Nutritional benefits from dark, leafy greens are not merely limited to eliminating free radicals and reducing inflammation—they may also protect our DNA and slow tumor growth. Research reveals that sulforaphane (SFN), a chemical compound found in cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage), is capable of activating the expression of several cellular protective genes. “The phytochemical and bioactive agent sulforaphane (SFN) has nutrigenomic potential in activating the expression of several cellular protective genes via the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2).” Researchers have previously evaluated the nutrigenomic potential of this compound in combination with a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor drug, acetazolamide (AZ), to treat cancers, including bladder cancer and lung bronchial carcinoids (BCs). BCs are rare, well-differentiated and malignant neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). When combined, these compounds were found to significantly inhibit the viability, clonogenicity and in vitro growth of two BC cell lines. In a new study, researchers—from The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Massachusetts, Queen’s University, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, University of Chicago, Q.P.S. Holdings LLC, University of Toronto, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, and the Forsyth Institute—investigated the mechanisms modulated by SFN, AZ and by SFN and AZ combined, using in vitro and in vivo models of BC cell lines. Their paper was published by Oncotarget in 2021 and entitled, “Next-generation multimodality of nutrigenomic cancer therapy: sulforaphane in combination with acetazolamide actively target bronchial carcinoid cancer in disabling the PI3K/Akt/mTOR survival pathway and inducing apoptosis.” Full blog - https://www.oncotarget.org/2021/09/21/compound-in-cruciferous-vegetables-inhibits-cancer-cells/ Press release - https://www.oncotarget.com/news/pr/disabling-the-pi3k-akt-mtor-survival-pathway-and-inducing-apoptosis/ Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28011 DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28011 Full text - https://www.oncotarget.com/article/28011/text/ Correspondence to - Herman Yeger - hermie@sickkids.ca, Reza Bayat Mokhtari - rbm7@queensu.ca, and Myron R. Szewczuk - szewczuk@queensu.ca Keywords - sulforaphane, acetazolamide, bronchial carcinoid tumors, serotonin, carbonic anhydrase About Oncotarget Oncotarget is a bi-weekly, peer-reviewed, open access biomedical journal covering research on all aspects of oncology. To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com or connect with: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/oncotarget Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/oncotarget LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Oncotarget is published by Impact Journals, LLC please visit https://www.ImpactJournals.com or connect with @ImpactJrnls Media Contact MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM 18009220957