Pleiotropic molecular effects of dietary polyphenols resveratrol and apigenin in Leukemia

Abstract

Resveratrol and apigenin are commonly found polyphenols in many fruits and vegetables and recognition of these dietary polyphenols for human health owing to their biological and pharmacological features including antiinflammatory and antioxidative functions has increased recently. In addition to direct antioxidative effects, they have impacts on various important signaling pathways dysregulated in cancer, genetic and epigenetic regulators, transcription factors and even on miRNAs as anticarcinogenic compounds. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated their pleiotropic molecular mechanisms of action in cancer, particularly in solid tumors. However, in recent years, significant progress has been made in studying the antileukemic effects of resveratrol and apigenin at the cellular and molecular levels. Herein, we have critically discussed the main molecular targets of resveratrol and apigenin and their promising potential as chemopreventive agents as well as their limitations, with a special emphasis on leukemias.