Preventative Effects of Broccoli on Liver Cancer in Young Male Mice

Liver cancer is a serious disease with a high fatality rate, so preventing it in the first place is key. Environmental toxins and other substances known as xenobiotics which are not a normal part of the diet can contribute to oxidation and liver damage, leading to cancer. In order to prevent this damage from occurring, the human body uses enzymes to neutralize the toxins. One such enzyme is NQO1 (NAD(P)H:Quinone Oxidoreductase-1). In contrast, certain enzymes like CYP2E1 (cytochrome P450 2E1) function in the metabolism and detoxification of many of these chemicals, pre-toxins, and alcohol. During metabolism, CYP2E1 can oxidize some carcinogens into a dangerous, free radical form, which will cause damage if not degraded quickly enough. High levels of CYP2E1 expression have been associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and insulin resistance. Studies have shown that consuming broccoli can have a beneficial effect on NQO1 levels, but consuming a Western diet high in fat and sugar can raise CYP2E1 expression. Our objective was to quantify the gene expression for these two enzymes in young mice (8 and 12 weeks old) on three different diets: control, Western, and Western plus broccoli. The mice were all treated with a carcinogen (diethylnitrosamine) prior to beginning the diets. Our results indicate that broccoli does have the effect of increasing expression of the NQO1 gene in this study, but there was little impact on expression of the CYP2E1 gene.Ope