Preventing Carcinogenesis with Compounds that Inhibit Cytochrome P450 1A1 and 1B1

Devin Iimoto

Abstract

Cytochrome P450 1A1 and 1B1 convert polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to carcinogenic compounds in extrahepatic tissues. In 1997, resveratrol, a naturally occurring stilbene found in grapes and red wine, was found to inhibit the growth of tumors and that one potential mechanism was by inhibiting cytochrome P450 1A1 and 1B1. This prompted further research on various stilbene derivatives as chemopreventive agents. It has recently been discovered that aryl morpholino triazenes represent a new class of cytochrome P450 1A1 and 1B1 inhibitors opening up the field to explore another type of potential chemopreventive agent.