Uncovering the anti-cancer properties of the pepper plant
In a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, scientists may have uncovered the chemical process behind anti-cancer properties of a spicy Indian pepper plant called the long pepper.
In a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, scientists may have uncovered the chemical process behind anti-cancer properties of a spicy Indian pepper plant called the long pepper. The secret lies in a chemical called piperlongumine (PL), which has shown activity against many cancers including prostate, breast, lung, colon, lymphoma, leukemia, primary brain tumors, and gastric cancer.
Using x-ray crystallography, the researchers were able to create molecular structures that show how the chemical is transformed after being ingested. PL converts to hPL, an active drug that silences a gene called GSTP1. The GSTP1 gene produces a detoxification enzyme that is often overly abundant in tumors.
“We are hopeful that our structure will enable additional drug development efforts to improve the potency of PL for use in a wide range of cancer therapies,” said Kenneth Westover, assistant professor of biochemistry and radiation oncology, UT Southwestern Medical Center. “This research is a spectacular demonstration of the power of x-ray crystallography.”
X-ray crystallography allows scientists to determine molecular structures that reveal how molecules interact with targets—in this case how PL interacts with GSTP1. Viewing the structures helps in developing drugs for those targets.