Leonard F. BjeldanesProfessor of Toxicology and Toxicologist in the Agricultural Experiment Station Ph.D. (Organic Chemistry), University of California, Los Angeles, 1970 (510) 642-1601 |
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Our primary research objective is to isolate and characterize the efficacy and modes of action of beneficial phytochemicals from plants and microorganisms. Our attention is focused on substances from food plants and herbs, and on substances from filamentous fungi and bacteria. We screen extracts for activities as anticancer agents, immune enhancers, and phychoactive chemicals. We then study modes of action and determine potenial usefulness for drug development. We are currently studying certain indole chemicals from dietary vegetables of the Brassica genus, including cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts for their well established anticancer activities and potenital clinical usefulness.
Most Recent Publications
Nguyen HH, Aronchik I, Brar GA, Nguyen DH, Bjeldanes LF, Firestone GL. The dietary phytochemical indole-3-carbinol is a natural elastase enzymatic inhibitor that disrupts cyclin E protein processing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Dec 16;105(50):19750-5. Epub 2008 Dec 8
Brew CT, Aronchik I, Kosco K, McCammon J, Bjeldanes LF, Firestone GL. Indole-3-carbinol inhibits MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell motility and induces stress fibers and focal adhesion formation by activation of Rho kinase activity. Int J Cancer. 2009 May 15;124(10):2294-2302.
Vivar OI, Lin CL, Firestone GL, Bjeldanes LF. 3,3'-Diindolylmethane Induces a G(1) Arrest in Human Prostate Cancer Cells Irrespective of Androgen Receptor and p53 Status. Biochem Pharmacol. 2009 May 8. [Epub ahead of print]
Staub, R.E., Onisko, B., Bjeldanes, L.F. Fate of 3,3'-diindolylmethane in cultured mcf-7 human breast cancer cells. Chem Res Toxicol. 19(3):436-42, 2006.
Gong, Y., Sohn, H., Xue, L,. Firestone, G.L., Bjeldanes, L.F. 3,3'-Diindolylmethane is a novel mitochondrial H(+)-ATP synthase inhibitor that can induce p21(Cip1/Waf1) expression by induction of oxidative stress in human breast cancer cells. Cancer Res. 66(9):4880-7, 2006.
Sundar SN, Kerekatte V, Equinozio CN, Doan VB, Bjeldanes LF, Firestone GL. Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) selectively uncouples expression and activity of estrogen receptor subtypes in human breast cancer cells. Mol Endocrinol. 20(12):3070-82. Epub Aug 10, 2006.
Hsu JC, Dev A, Wing A, Brew CT, Bjeldanes LF, Firestone GL. Indole-3-carbinol mediated cell cycle arrest of LNCaP human prostate cancer cells requires the induced production of activated p53 tumor suppressor protein. Biochem Pharmacol. 72(12):1714-23. Epub Sep 12. 2006.
Xue L, Pestka JJ, Li M, Firestone GL, Bjeldanes LF. 3,3'-Diindolylmethane stimulates murine immune function in vitro and in vivo. J Nutr Biochem. 2008 May;19(5):336-44. Epub 2007 Aug 17.
Jump SM, Kung J, Staub R, Kinseth MA, Cram EJ, Yudina LN, Preobrazhenskaya MN, Bjeldanes LF, Firestone GL. N-Alkoxy derivatization of indole-3-carbinol increases the efficacy of the G1 cell cycle arrest and of I3C-specific regulation of cell cycle gene transcription and activity in human breast cancer cells. Biochem Pharmacol. 2008 Feb 1;75(3):713-24. Epub 2007 Oct 2.
Mersereau JE, Levy N, Staub RE, Baggett S, Zogric T, Chow S, Ricke WA, Tagliaferri M, Cohen I, Bjeldanes LF, Leitman DC. Liquiritigenin is a plant-derived highly selective estrogen receptor beta agonist. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2008 Feb 13;283(1-2):49-57. Epub 2007 Nov 26.
Riby JE, Firestone GL, Bjeldanes LF. 3,3'-Diindolylmethane reduces levels of HIF-1alpha and HIF-1 activity in hypoxic cultured human cancer cells. Biochem Pharmacol. 2008 May 1;75(9):1858-67. Epub 2008 Feb 7.