The inhibitory effects of strawberry (
Fragaria ×
ananassa Duch.) antioxidant enzymes on tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) or ultraviolet-B (UVB) induced activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclearfactor-kappaB (NF-
B) were studied. The inhibitory effects of strawberry extracts on the proliferationand transformation of human and mouse cancer cells were also evaluated. Strawberries had highactivities of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase,and glutathione reductase. Strawberry extracts inhibited the proliferation of human lung epithelialcancer cell line A549 and decreased TPA-induced neoplastic transformation of JB6 P
+ mouseepidermal cells. Pretreatment of JB6 P
+ mouse epidermal cells with strawberry extract resulted inthe inhibition of both UVB- and TPA-induced AP-1 and NF-
B transactivation. Furthermore, strawberryextract also blocked TPA-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs)and UVB-induced phosphorylation of ERKs and JNK kinase in JB6 P
+ mouse epidermal cell culture.These results suggest that the ability of strawberries to block UVB- and TPA-induced AP-1 and NF-
B activation may be due to their antioxidant properties and their ability to reduce oxidative stress.The oxidative events that regulate AP-1 and NF-
B transactivation can be important molecular targetsfor cancer prevention. The strawberries may be highly effective as a chemopreventive agent thatacts by targeting the down-regulation of AP-1 and NF-
B activities, blocking MAPK signaling, andsuppressing cancer cell proliferation and transformation.Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; activator protein-1; nuclear factor-kappaB; mitogen-activated proteinkinase; neoplastic transformation;
Fragaria ×
ananassa Duch.