Abstract

Protection against cancer by probiotics: Relevant mechanism and in vivo and in vitro evidences between 2002 and 2010

Author(s): Suna Zhou, Mingxin Zhang, Jiansheng Wang

Probiotics have been used as alternatives for anti-inflammatory drugs in IBD. Now, more and more scientists are paying increasing attention on probiotics with the effects of anti-carcinogenic. Various mechanisms for their anticancer action have been suggested, particularly in vitro experiment. The involved mechanisms were studied in animal models induced by chemical carcinogen or subcutaneously implanted cancer cell line, such as modulating immune to improve anti-tumor immunological function, altering localmetabolic product to affect cell proliferation and apoptosis, regulating harmful enzyme activity to exert a protective effect and so on.As we know, in vivo animal models are designed to mimic the process of carcinogenesis in human, and administrating probiotics to animal models will help us to better understand the underlyingmechanisms of the anticancer effect. These animal evidences provide theory basis for clinical trial, and the extensive studies on human provide a convincing base for clinical application of probiotics in cancer treatment. This studywill reviewevidences of cellular, animal model and human study on anticancer effect of probiotics between 2002 and 2010.