Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate, the green tea polyphenol suppresses expression of CD31 and VEGFR2 and enhances the chemotherapeutic potential of irinotecan in AOM/DSS model of colorectal cancer in mice

BACKGROUND: Conventional chemotherapeutic treatment of colorectal cancer causes adverse effects such as severe diarrhoea, mucositis and hepatotoxicity. This study aimed to investigate the anti-carcinogenic potential of epigallocatechin-3-gallate and its effects on major angiogenic markers, alone and in combination with irinotecan in colorectal cancer model. METHODS: Colorectal cancer was induced in mice by injecting azoxymethane and oral administration of dextran sulfate sodium in drinking water as described previously. After 16th week of experimentation, animals were sacrificed, morphometrical assessment was conducted and tissues were processed for histopathological, immunohistochemical and gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: Results showed reduction in tumour count, alleviation of colorectal cancer symptoms, improvement in histopathological alterations and goblet cell count with combination therapy. Suppression of key oncogenic and angiogenic markers and reduction in liver injury with combination treatment. CONCLUSION: Combined treatment of epigallocatechin-3-gallate with irinotecan enhanced the anti-tumour potential of irinotecan, and inhibited cancer progression and expression of tumour-associated angiogenesis markers. Moreover, treatment associated liver injury was also reduced by epigallocatechin-3-gallate supplementation.