Phloretin: An Apple Polyphenol with Cancer Chemopreventive Potential

Resum

Cancer still exists as a major global health concern. Because of the limited clinical success with chemotherapy, there is now a paradigm shift towards chemoprevention for the eradication of cancer. Numerous dietary phytochemicals, especially those present in fruits and vegetables, have been reported to reduce the risk of many cancers. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that phenolic compounds present in apple fruits hold the promise of preventing certain types of cancer. Phloretin [2',4',6'-trihydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propiophenone], is one of the major chemopreventive phytochemicals present in apple fruits. Over the last several years, remarkable advances have been made in delineating the biochemical mechanisms underlying the chemopreventive effects of phloretin. Results from in vitro cell culture studies as well as animal model experiments have revealed that phloretin inhibits experimentally induced carcinogenesis and exhibits potent anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and apoptosis inducing properties. Moreover, phloretin enhances the sensitivity of chemoresistant cancer cells to conventional chemotherapeutic agents. The compound also interferes with cancer cell metabolism by targeting glucose transporter proteins and can induce antitumor immunity by stimulating the proliferation of  T cells. The purpose of this review is to shed light on the detailed mechanistic perspective of cancer chemoprevention with phloretin.