[Eric Hofacket]

Oleocanthal in olive oil - potent anti-cancer compound

by Eric Hofacket on Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:31 am

I found this article on the anti-cancer properties of a compound found in olive oil promising and interesting. Researchers found that oleocanthal caused in vitro apoptosis in all cancer cell lines they tested against, eradicating the cancer cells in 30 minutes to an hour while not affecting normal healthy cells. And they know exactly how it does it. They do not say what cancer cell lines they tested against, but it is encouraging they got results against everything they tested against.

This is yet another in compound that has been found to have anticancer properties in vitro. How many of these have we seen in the last few years on the Beacon? Quite a few.

The challenge is being able to follow through with studies needed to get to human clinical trials, which are lot more expensive and time consuming. I hope this is not the last we hear of oleo­can­thalidomide. It will be interesting to see if oleocanthal supplements start to appear on the market, or if this is something that will be seen by the FDA as a drug or a supplement. What is the toxicity, if any, of concentrated oleocanthal? Can it be IV administered?

In the meantime, though, I will make my olive oil extra virgin.

News Article:

"Olive Oil Compound Kills Cancer Cells In Less Than An Hour: All-Powerful Oleocanthal," Medical Daily, Feb 20, 2015 (link to article)

Excerpt:

"What they found was that oleocanthal was destroying the cancer cells’ waste centers, known as lysosomes, which are larger than healthy cells and also more fragile. “Once you open one of those things, all hell breaks loose,” Breslin said. They provide a necessary stabilizing function for the cell. After oleocanthal did its damage, critical functions began to suffer and the cell soon died. Plus, healthy cells stayed intact. After oleocanthal “put them to sleep” for a day, they rebounded as if nothing had happened."

Related journal article:

O LeGendre et al, ,"(-)-Oleocanthal rapidly and selectively induces cancer cell death via lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP)," Molecular & Cellular Oncology, Jan 23, 2015 (link to abstract)

Abstract:

(-)-Oleocanthal (OC), a phenolic compound in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), has been implicated in the health benefits associated with diets rich in EVOO. We investigated the effect of OC on human cancer cell lines in culture.

Amazingly, OC induced cell death in all cancer cells examined – as rapidly as 30 minutes after treatment in the absence of serum. OC treatment of non-transformed cells suppressed proliferation, but did not cause cell death. OC induced both primary necrotic and apoptotic cell death via induction of lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP).

We provide evidence that OC promotes LMP by inhibiting acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) activity, which destabilizes the interaction between proteins necessary for lysosomal membrane stability.

The data presented here indicates that cancer cells having fragile lysosomal mem­branes – as compared to non-cancerous cells – are susceptible to lysosomotropic agent-induced cell death. Therefore, targeting lysosomal membrane stabiltiy represents a novel approach to induce cancer-specific cell death.

[Multibilly]

Re: Oleocanthal in olive oil - potent anti-cancer compound

by Multibilly on Wed Feb 25, 2015 12:44 pm

I prefer my olive oil shaken, not stirred.

[Eric Hofacket]

Re: Oleocanthal in olive oil - potent anti-cancer compound

by Eric Hofacket on Wed Feb 25, 2015 3:22 pm

Shaken or stirred, but should not be cooked apparently.

I wonder how oleocanthal might work in conjunction with Velcade, since both seem to be involved with the cell waste process in killing cancer cells. Synergistically or against each other? Are the proteins that proteasomes break down then sent to lysosomes for “recycling”? If so, then Velcade may mitigate the effectiveness of oleocanthal. Or maybe they could work together in some way? Any cell biologists out there?

Oleocanthal's mechanism of killing cancer cells:

“The cancer cells were being killed by their own enzymes. The oleocanthal was puncturing the vesicles inside the cancer cells that store the cell’s waste – the cell’s “dumpster,” as Breslin called it, or “recycling center,” as Foster refers to it. These vesicles, known as lysosomes are larger in cancer cells than in healthy cells, and they contain a lot of waste. “Once you open one of those things, all hell breaks loose,” Breslin said.”

Velcade's mechanism of killing cancer cells:

“As a targeted therapy, Velcade works by blocking or slowing down the action of proteasomes inside cells. The function of proteasomes is to break down proteins in both healthy and cancerous cells.”

[Eric Hofacket]

Re: Oleocanthal in olive oil - potent anti-cancer compound

by Eric Hofacket on Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:09 pm

This may provide some help. Proteasomes break down intercellular proteins while lysosomes break down extracellular proteins. There may not be much interaction at all.

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Proteasome.html

[Multibilly]

Re: Oleocanthal in olive oil potent anti-cancer compound

by Multibilly on Wed Feb 25, 2015 6:40 pm

See this article about an in vitro study oleocanthal in human multiple myeloma cell lines. (If you've ever been to Spain and seen their endless olive tree groves or witnessed the astounding amount of olive oil they consume, it should come as no surprise that the study originated out of Spain) :

M Scotece et al, "Oleocanthal Inhibits Proliferation and MIP-1α Expression in Human Multiple Myeloma Cells", Current Medicinal Chemistry, 2013 (link to abstract)

Abstract:

Multiple myeloma (M​M) is a plasma cell malignancy that causes dev­astat­ing bone de­struc­tion by activating osteoclasts in the bone marrow milieu. M​M is the second of all hema­tol­o­gical malignancies. Thus, the search for new pharmacological weapons is under intensive in­vestigation being M​M a critically important public health goal.

Recently, it has been demonstrated that macrophage inflammatory protein 1- alpha (MIP-1 α) is crucially involved in the development of osteolytic bone lesions in M​M. Phenolic components of extra virgin olive oil are reported to have anti tumor activity. However, the underlying mech­a­nisms and specific targets of extra virgin olive oil remain to be elucidated.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of a recently isolated novel extra virgin olive oil polyphenol, oleocanthal, on the human multiple myeloma cell line ARH-77. Here we report that this natural compound has a remarkable in vitro activity by inhibiting MIP-1 α expression and secretion in M​M cells. In addition, we also demonstrated that oleocanthal inhibits M​M cells proliferation by inducing the activation of apoptosis mechanisms and by down-regulating ERK1/2 and AKT signal transduction pathways.

This in vitro study suggests a therapeutic potential of oleocanthal in treating multiple myeloma.

[Eric Hofacket]

Re: Oleocanthal in olive oil - potent anti-cancer compound

by Eric Hofacket on Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:12 pm

Thanks for the additional information, Multibilly.

What is interesting is the researchers at Rutgers were investigating oleocanthal expecting to find activation of apoptosis as the mechanism of action in cancer cell death. But that was not the case. The cancer cells were dying too fast, in less than an hour, to be explained by apoptosis, which takes 12 hours or more. That led to the discovery of the destruction of lysosomes as the mech­a­nism of action for oleocanthal.

Is there anything else that does this? Did the Spanish researcher get it wrong as to why oleo­can­thalidomide was causing cell death in myeloma cell lines? Or maybe for myeloma cells oleocanthal does cause apoptosis and it may also cause lysosome destruction?

What is also exciting about the Rutgers research is the finding that, in cancer cells, lysosomes are much more delicate than in healthy cells and can be targeted for destruction. Oleocanthal has shown the ability to do this, but more research may find compounds that are even more effective than oleocanthal and can work in vivo.

I wish I knew what cancer cells the Rutgers researchers tested against. I did find that one of them was pancreatic cancer. In vitro, oleocanthal killed all of them in less than an hour. Potentially really good news, especially as pancreatic cancer has been really difficult to treat.

[Pjorg45]

Re: Oleocanthal in olive oil - potent anti-cancer compound

by Pjorg45 on Thu Feb 26, 2015 4:50 am

Any one consider applying it topically? More effective at getting into the blood stream rather than the GI tract?

[DanielR]

Re: Oleocanthal in olive oil - potent anti-cancer compound

by DanielR on Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:26 pm

Eric and Multibilly,

Thank you!! I couldn't help but be reminded of the film and book, "Lorenzo's Oil," as I read the information you both posted. For anyone not familiar with the story, here's a very brief overview,

While I will definitely continue taking my EVOO along with with my BCM-95 curcumin formula, and I will diligently follow any advances on the the oleocanthal front, my money (and my life) is on the 2 new monoclonal antibody meds that are slated to be released sometime early this year, elo­tu­zumab, which targets the SLAMF7 protein, and daratumumab, which targets CD38. Both SLAMF7 and CD38 are proteins found on the outside of myeloma cells and these drugs essentially "high­light" these cells for destruction by the body's own immune system. At least this is my under­standing, possibly oversimplified though it may be ...

Aloha
Daniel

[mdszj]

Re: Oleocanthal in olive oil - potent anti-cancer compound

by mdszj on Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:45 pm

Any info available as to wheth­er olive oil or any of its com­ponents inter­feres with any myeloma treat­ments?

Hopefully not, because I use a lot of olive oil in salads, etc.

[Eric Hofacket]

Re: Oleocanthal in olive oil - potent anti-cancer compound

by Eric Hofacket on Sat Feb 28, 2015 7:01 pm

I am really looking forward to the FDA approval of monoclonal antibody treatments too. If Olecanthal is developed into an anticancer treatment it will be years before it becomes available but monoclonal antibody treatments are looking to become a near term treatment option for people with myeloma.

Paul,
That is the big challenge with many of these findings of compounds that show anticancer properties in vitrto, that is in a test tube or dish, and whether the same results can be in in the body. Can the concentration of the compound that is effective in vitro be achieved in the body and without adverse effects.