Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors of the uterus. Made up of smooth muscle cells and a large matrix of connective tissue, fibroids range in size from nearly microscopic to bulky masses that can enlarge and distort the uterus. It is estimated that 77% of women will develop fibroids in their lifetime, most by age 50. Black and Hispanic women develop them 1.5 to 2 times the rate of white women. While many people with uterine fibroids are asymptomatic, about 25% have significant symptoms including heavy uterine bleeding, menstrual irregularities (when in childbearing phase of life), pelvic pain, and infertility. Uterine fibroids are the leading cause of inpatient hysterectomy worldwide. In addition to complete removal of the uterus, surgical treatment may be limited to some ways of removing fibroids from the uterine wall.
In a preclinical trial study from Johns Hopkins Medicine, researchers found that epi-gallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major compound in green tea with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, could hold promise for both treatment and prevention. of uterine fibroids. The results of the study, published in Scientific Reports, add to the growing evidence that EGCG can reduce the growth of fibroid cells. The study was specifically designed to identify the molecular mechanisms responsible for the action of EGCG in fibromatous cells. The researchers point out that their study involved lab-grown human fibroids treated with an EGCG extract to explore the possibility of oral EGCG supplementation as a therapy, rather than simply drinking cups of green tea as a preventative measure for uterine fibroids. .
For the new study, the researchers used laboratory cultures of uterine fibroids harvested from live patients. Because uterine fibroid cells have a large extracellular matrix compared to normal cells, the researchers designed their experiments to see if treating the cells with EGCG affects protein expression associated with this matrix. Specifically, they studied fibronectin, a matrix protein; connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) protein, a cell growth factor; and cyclin D1, a protein involved in cell division. The cells were first exposed with 100 micromoles per liter of EGCG in growth medium for 24 hours, and then Western blotting, a laboratory technique used to detect a specific protein in a blood or tissue sample, was performed. to evaluate protein expression.
The researchers looked for the levels of the proteins cyclin D1 and CTGF in both treated and untreated cells. They found that EGCG reduced fibronectin protein levels by 46% to 52%, compared to an untreated control group of fibroids. They also found that EGCG disrupted pathways involved in the growth, movement, signaling and metabolism of fibroid cancer cells and saw up to an 86% decrease in CTGF protein compared to the control group. These results support the FRIEND study (ClinicalTrials.gov, own code NCT05364008), an ongoing clinical study of EGCG in women with fibroids seeking to become pregnant. While the results of this study are promising, the researchers caution that more studies are needed and consumers should not attempt to self-dose with green tea supplements.
According to the researchers, EGCG supplements could be an easily accessible and natural way to relieve symptoms and slow the growth of fibroids. Future EGCG research will include clinical trials with large and diverse patient groups to determine optimal doses and possible side effects of EGCG supplementation.
By Dr. Gianfrancesco Cormaci, PhD; specialist in Clinical Biochemistry.
Scientific publications
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