Indole-3-carbinol: a plant hormone combatting cancer.

A diet rich in cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage has long been considered healthy, and various epidemiological studies suggest that the consumption of cruciferous vegetables contributes to a cancer-protecting diet. While these vegetables contain a vast array of phytochemicals, the mechanism by which these vegetables counteract cancer is still largely unresolved. Numerous studies have implicated indole-3-carbinol, a breakdown product of the glucosinolate indole-3-ylmethylglucosinolate, as one of the phytochemicals with anti-cancer properties.

The effect of indole-3-carbinol on PIN1 and PIN2 in Arabidopsis roots.

The phytochemical indole-3-carbinol is produced in Cruciferous plants upon tissue rapture and deters herbivores. We recently showed that indole-3-carbinol modulates auxin signaling in root tips. Here we present transcript profiling experiments which further reveal the influence of indole-3-carbinol on auxin signaling in root tips, and also show that I3C affects auxin transporters.

The glucosinolate breakdown product indole-3-carbinol acts as an auxin antagonist in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana.

The glucosinolate breakdown product indole-3-carbinol functions in cruciferous vegetables as a protective agent against foraging insects. While the toxic and deterrent effects of glucosinolate breakdown on herbivores and pathogens have been studied extensively, the secondary responses that are induced in the plant by indole-3-carbinol remain relatively uninvestigated. Here we examined the hypothesis that indole-3-carbinol plays a role in influencing plant growth and development by manipulating auxin signaling.

Navigator-3, a modulator of cell migration, may act as a suppressor of breast cancer progression.

Dissemination of primary tumor cells depends on migratory and invasive attributes. Here, we identify Navigator-3 (NAV3), a gene frequently mutated or deleted in human tumors, as a regulator of epithelial migration and invasion. Following induction by growth factors, NAV3 localizes to the plus ends of microtubules and enhances their polarized growth.