Chemopreventive and anti-tumor potential of vitamin E in preclinical breast cancer studies: A systematic review

Background: Vitamin E has been investigated for its antitumor potential, including the ability to change cancer gene pathways as well as promote antioxidant and pro-oxidant activity. Objective: Therefore, this systematic review aimed to evaluate antitumor and chemopreventive activity of different vitamin E isoforms (tocopherols and tocotrienols) through in vitro and in vivo studies. Method: The systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (No. CRD4202126207) and the search was carried out in four electronic databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science) in June 2021 by three independent reviewers. The search equation used was: Supplementation AND (Vitamin E OR Tocopherol OR Tocotrienol) AND breast cancer AND (chemotherapy OR therapy OR prevention). In vitro studies and animal models of breast cancer supplemented with tocopherol or tocotrienol vitamers, alone or in combination, were included. Results: The results revealed 8546 relevant studies that were initially identified in our search. After analysis, a total of 12 studies were eligible for this systematic review. All studies included animal models, and 5 of them also performed in vitro experiments on cancer cell lines. The studies performed supple-mentation with tocopherols, mixtures (tocopherols and tocotrienols) and synthetic vitamin E forms. There was an significant association of estradiol, dendritic cells and pterostilbene in combined therapy with vitamin E. Vitamin E delayed tumor development, reduced tumor size, proliferation, viability, expression of anti-apoptotic and cell proliferation genes, and upregulated pro-apoptotic genes, tumor suppressor genes and increased immune response. The effects on oxidative stress markers and antiox-idant activity were conflicting among studies. Only one study with synthetic vitamin E reported car-diotoxicity, but it did not show vitamin E genotoxicity. Conclusion: In conclusion, vitamin E isoforms, isolated or associated, showed antitumor and chemo-preventive activity. However, due to studies heterogeneity, there is a need for further analysis to establish dose, form, supplementation time and breast cancer stage.(c) 2022 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the antitumor and chemopreventive activity of different vitamin E isoforms through in vitro and in vivo studies. A total of 12 studies were included, showing that vitamin E isoforms could delay tumor development, reduce tumor size, inhibit cell proliferation, regulate apoptosis-related genes, and enhance immune response. The effects on oxidative stress markers and antioxidant activity varied among studies.