The crucial physiological process of heme breakdown yields biliverdin (BV) and bilirubin (BR) as byproducts. BV, BR, and the enzymes involved in their production (the "yellow players-YP") are increasingly documented as endogenous modulators of human health. Mildly elevated serum bilirubin concentration has been correlated with a reduced risk of multiple chronic pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory diseases, especially in the elderly. BR and BV per se have been demonstrated to protect against neurodegenerative diseases, in which heme oxygenase (HMOX), the main enzyme in the production of pigments, is almost always altered. HMOX upregulation has been interpreted as a tentative defense against the ongoing pathologic mechanisms. With the demonstration that multiple cells possess YP, their propensity to be modulated, and their broad spectrum of activity on multiple signaling pathways, the YP have assumed the role of an adjustable system that can promote health in adults. Based on that, there is an ongoing effort to induce their activity as a therapeutic option, and natural compounds are an attractive alternative to the goal, possibly requiring only minimal changes in the life style. We review the most recent evidence of the potential of natural compounds in targeting the YP in the context of the most common pathologic condition of adult and elderly life.

• Klíčová slova
• Alzheimer’s disease, MAFLD, NRF2, Parkinson’s disease, bilirubin, cancer, heme-oxygenase, herbal medicine, neurodegeneration, nutraceuticals,
• MeSH
• bilirubin MeSH
• biliverdin MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hem MeSH
• hemová oxygenasa (decyklizující) MeSH
• játra MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nemoci mozku * MeSH
• podpora zdraví * MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• bilirubin MeSH
• biliverdin MeSH
• hem MeSH
• hemová oxygenasa (decyklizující) MeSH

Nutritional factors which exhibit antioxidant properties, such as those contained in green plants, may be protective against cancer. Chlorophyll and other tetrapyrrolic compounds which are structurally related to heme and bilirubin (a bile pigment with antioxidant activity) are among those molecules which are purportedly responsible for these effects. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess both the antiproliferative and antioxidative effects of chlorophylls (chlorophyll a/b, chlorophyllin, and pheophytin a) in experimental pancreatic cancer. Chlorophylls have been shown to produce antiproliferative effects in pancreatic cancer cell lines (PaTu-8902, MiaPaCa-2, and BxPC-3) in a dose-dependent manner (10-125 μmol/L). Chlorophylls also have been observed to inhibit heme oxygenase (HMOX) mRNA expression and HMOX enzymatic activity, substantially affecting the redox environment of pancreatic cancer cells, including the production of mitochondrial/whole-cell reactive oxygen species, and alter the ratio of reduced-to-oxidized glutathione. Importantly, chlorophyll-mediated suppression of pancreatic cancer cell viability has been replicated in in vivo experiments, where the administration of chlorophyll a resulted in the significant reduction of pancreatic tumor size in xenotransplanted nude mice. In conclusion, this data suggests that chlorophyll-mediated changes on the redox status of pancreatic cancer cells might be responsible for their antiproliferative and anticancer effects and thus contribute to the decreased incidence of cancer among individuals who consume green vegetables.

• MeSH
• antioxidancia metabolismus   MeSH
• chlorofyl farmakologie   MeSH
• extracelulárním signálem regulované MAP kinasy metabolismus   MeSH
• feofytiny metabolismus   MeSH
• glutathion metabolismus   MeSH
• glutathiondisulfid metabolismus   MeSH
• hemová oxygenasa (decyklizující) metabolismus   MeSH
• kvantitativní polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mitochondrie účinky léků   metabolismus   MeSH
• nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
• nádory slinivky břišní metabolismus   MeSH
• oxidace-redukce účinky léků   MeSH
• peroxid vodíku metabolismus   MeSH
• protinádorové látky farmakologie   MeSH
• superoxidy metabolismus   MeSH
• Synechocystis chemie   MeSH
• viabilita buněk účinky léků   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antioxidancia MeSH
• chlorofyl MeSH
• extracelulárním signálem regulované MAP kinasy MeSH
• feofytiny MeSH
• glutathion MeSH
• glutathiondisulfid MeSH
• hemová oxygenasa (decyklizující) MeSH
• peroxid vodíku MeSH
• pheophytin a MeSH Prohlížeč
• protinádorové látky MeSH
• superoxidy MeSH