Effects of Tea Polyphenols and their Polymers on MAPK Signaling Pathways in Cancer Research

The biological activities and mechanisms of tea polyphenols and their polymerics have been attractive issues in cancer research. The inhibition of tea polyphenols on cancer cells decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. Tremendous evidences have shown that tea polyphenols suppress tumor promotion by inhibiting enzyme activities and blocking signal transduction pathways. Specifically, the mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathways have been implicated as an important target molecular for cancer prevention and therapy. The purpose of this review is to discuss the relationship between tea polyphenols and MAPK signaling pathways in cancer.