Chemopreventive Effect in HepG2 cells exposed to L. Reuteri with Antioxidant Supplements

Abstract

There is the limited treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) which is one of the most common cancers. Preventive control has been strongly emphasized for HCC. Researchers have begun to consider complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) as a means to treat and reduce the risk of gastrointestinal diseases. The probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) is shown to exert beneficial effects on the host by decreasing side effects of illnesses such as diarrhea, lactose intolerance, colorectal and liver cancer. Antioxidants are bioactive nutrients found in fruits and vegetables that can prevent or slow oxidative damage. Antioxidants act as “free radical scavengers“ to prevent free radical damage. Both probiotic and antioxidants are shown to have a beneficial inhibitor response in promoting apoptosis. To date, there is no research study on HCC with the probiotic L. Reuteri. Therefore, we hypothesize that probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) supplemented with selected antioxidants will enhance cell death in hepatocellular carcinoma. In this human‐derived HEPG2 cell culture study L. reuteri with our selected antioxidants demonstrates the effectiveness in altering the cancerous morphology and demonstrates a synergistic chemopreventive effect.Grant Funding Source: NSF Opt‐ED, Biology