Lupulescu A
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1994;64(1):3-14.
Vitamins A (retinol, retinoids), beta-carotene (provitamin A), E (alpha-tocopherol), and C (ascorbic acid) are used in experimental, clinical and epidemiological studies for cancer chemoprevention and treatment. The cellular and metabolic effects are depending on the dose used, duration of exposure, and cancer cell type. Despite recent advances, the anticarcinogenic mechanisms remain as yet unknown. Studies regarding the role of vitamins A, beta-carotene, E and C in cancer cell biology and metabolism are of critical importance for their use in cancer treatment. Autoradiographic, ultrastructural and cell surface studies demonstrated that vitamins A, E and C are strong regulator factors of cancer cell differentiation, cell regression, membrane biogenesis, DNA, RNA, protein, and collagen synthesis, as well as transformation of precancer cells into cancer cells. These vitamins exert cytotoxic and cytostatic effects, and may reverse the cancer cell to the normal phenotype. Interrelation of vitamins A, E and C with oncogenes and growth factors play an important role in cancer cell biology. The data presented in this review can provide new insights for the understanding of anticarcinogenic mechanisms, and a rationale for the use of vitamins A, E and C in cancer chemo-prevention and treatment.
维生素A（视黄醇、类视黄醇）、β-胡萝卜素（维生素A原）、维生素E（α-生育酚）和维生素C（抗坏血酸）被用于癌症化学预防和治疗的实验、临床及流行病学研究中。其细胞和代谢效应取决于所用剂量、暴露持续时间以及癌细胞类型。尽管最近取得了进展，但其抗癌机制仍不明晰。关于维生素A、β-胡萝卜素、维生素E和维生素C在癌细胞生物学和代谢中的作用的研究，对于它们在癌症治疗中的应用至关重要。放射自显影、超微结构和细胞表面研究表明，维生素A、维生素E和维生素C是癌细胞分化、细胞消退、膜生物合成、DNA、RNA、蛋白质和胶原蛋白合成以及癌前细胞向癌细胞转化的强大调节因子。这些维生素具有细胞毒性和细胞生长抑制作用，并可能使癌细胞恢复为正常表型。维生素A、维生素E和维生素C与癌基因及生长因子的相互关系在癌细胞生物学中起着重要作用。本综述中呈现的数据可为理解抗癌机制提供新的见解，并为维生素A、维生素E和维生素C在癌症化学预防和治疗中的应用提供理论依据。
