Sulforaphane from broccoli, an epigenetic modulator in cancer cells

The consumption of cruciferous vegetables offers several health benefits due to some of their compounds. Sulforaphane (SFN), a compound found in cabbage and broccoli, has received special attention in recent years due to its anticancer activities. The main objective of this systematic review is to examine the epigenetic and genetic effects of SFN on cancers (in vitro and in vivo) which contribute to its anticancer activities. We only analyzed studies that combined its epigenetic effects and anticancer activities due to the multitude of studies on SFN over the past few years. We found that SFN is able to regulate epigenetic mechanisms and promote the prevention and treatment of several cancers. Definitely, it prevents tumor growth and acts as a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor, and a microRNA regulator in several cancers. These epigenetic regulations lead indirectly to a hyperregulation or deregulation of the expression of genes involved in carcinogenesis. SFN hasn't any major epigenetic effect on normal cells. This review revealed that the anticancer activities attributable to SFN are largely related to its ability to modulate cancer cell epigenome. These capabilities to modulate the epigenome make SFN a promising anticancer agent with significant therapeutic potential.