May 9/Madison, Wis./Melanoma Research -- A recent study, published in Melanoma Research and conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has stated that resveratrol can reduce the malignancy of melanoma cells by de-activating the  protein Akt, which plays a major role in many cellular processes.

The mouse study also determined that resveratrol had an beneficial effect on the expression and activation of cellular processes and that it could play a role in anti-malignancy treatments against skin melanoma. It was found that resveratrol down-regulated and inactivated Akt in two groups of melanoma cells and also inhibited the migratory and invasive properties of these highly malignant cells.

The reduction of cell migration and invasion, however, was reversed in cell lines over expressing Akt or after co-treatment with pharmacological inhibitors that blocked Akt degradation. Dominant-negative Akt cells were more sensitive to resveratrol and had diminished migratory properties. Oral treatment with resveratrol reduced primary tumor volume, Akt expression and the propensity for metastasis in syngeneic mouse models of melanoma. Researchers noted resveratrol’s non-toxic targeting of Akt makes it an attractive treatment option for melanoma.

 

From the May 10, 2011, Prepared Foods' Daily News.