Green Tea Catechins May Protect Cells From Particulate Matter!

 

       I have discussed Nrf2 and how its downregulation may be related to at least some symptoms of environmental illness, including MCS. The Nrf2 is a master regulator of the cell's antioxidant system. It regulates over 400 genes including those genes for HO-1, PGC-1a and others like SOD and catalase. Downregulation of Nrf2 has been linked to a variety of diseases including autoimmune disease, environmental illness, aging, type 2 diabetes and cancer. In addition, upregulation has also been linked to cancer which is why most often Nrf2 supplementation in not advised. There is a variety of foods that are known as Nrf2 activators, which upregulate Nrf2 for only a short period of time. Many of the Nrf2 activators are high in polyphenols including EGCG. A catechin found in green tea.
      In other studies, EGCG has been shown to be protective against cardiovascular disease.
 In this new study, Yang et al.

"used EGCG to determine its impact on oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction from particulate matter (PM2.5) on a model for endothelial cells. During the study, PM2.5 in HUVAC cells caused oxidative stress and cell death which were inhibited in the presence of EGCG. Also, it was demonstrated that both Nrf2 and HO-1 was upregulated by EGCG. This provides evidence that EGCG may protect cells from environmental damage from particulate matter." (Yang) 

      While the above study is an experimental model using EGCG, it is important to note that epithelial tissue lines the esophagus and digestive tract and the lungs.  Drinking green tea has been shown in other studies to reduce the prevalence of some digestive system cancer including Barrett's esophagus.(Rejuvenation Science)

Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Protects HUVECs from PM2.5-Induced Oxidative Stress Injury by Activating Critical Antioxidant Pathways. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), Vol. 20, No. 4., pp. 6626-6639 by Guang-Zhao Z. Yang, Zhao-Jun J. Wang, Feng Bai, et al.  http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13584172

Green Tea Exhibits Anticancer Effect in Barrett's Associated Esophageal Adenocarcinoma. Rejuvenation Science. http://www.rejuvenation-science.com/n_green-tea_cancer.html

For further reading: How Activation of Antioxidant System Nrf2 Reverses Endothelial Dysfunction in Vascular Disease and Environmental Illness!