Green tea (−)-epigallocatechin gallate exerts CD44 shedding in tumour cells and modulates membrane domains

Membrane raft-regulated shedding of CD44 is vital for tumour cell invasion. Therefore, developing raft-modulating agents is a promising approach for therapeutic intervention. Among the main green tea catechin derivatives, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) induced CD44 shedding and modulated the domains forming on the surfaces of giant vesicles, suggesting that EGCG may have potential as a therapeutic. Additionally, modulating plasma membrane domains may be a promising approach for cancer prevention and therapy.