Researchers find strong clue to brain cancer metastasis, the Green Tea Polyphenol EGCG, may antagonize this pathway

A glioma is a brain tumor formed by glial cells. Glial cells are cells that surround and normally provide energy, nutrients, and other forms of support for the nerve cells in the brain. Glioma cells characteristically infiltrate surrounding brain tissue diffusely. As it turns out, these brain tumor cells recognize a particular target on surrounding tissue. A brain protein called RhoA increases levels of an enzyme called MT1-MMP. MT1-MMP is involved with cell movement and migration. The enzyme is active at the edges of the brain cancer cells allowing them to attach to and infiltrate healthy tissue. As it turns out EGCG, Green Teas major polyphenol, antagonized this activity, (so did a non-commercially available, investigational inhibitor called Y27632). The research was performed at the University of Quebec at Montreal, and is published in the June 2005 issue of the Journal of Neurochemistry.

Soybean Protein reduces high blood pressure

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, 302 people aged 35 to 64 with an average blood pressure of 135/85 (ranging from 130 to 159 mm Hg over 80 to 99 mm Hg) were given either a complex carbohydrate placebo or 40g isolated soy protein powder daily for 12 weeks. In those with greater hypertension the change was a decrease of 7.88 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure and a drop of 5.27 mm Hg in diastolic pressure for the soy users and decreased pressure far better than placebo. The researchers did not determine if the pressure change was due to the soy protein or the isoflavones, or the combination of both. These findings suggest that increased intake of soy protein may play an important role in preventing and treating hypertension. The study is published in the July 5th, 2005 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.