Prof. Yoav Sharoni
Born: 1946, Israel
Academic Qualifications:
    Ph.D. , 1977, Hebrew University, Hebrew University
Academic Positions:
Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology - Professor
Research Interests:
Carotenoids and cancer.phyto-nutrients and cancer. Antiestrogens in cancer. Mammary, endometrial and prostate cancer. Insulin like growth factor system. Signal transduction. Hormone receptors. Regulation of transcription in cancer cells. Regulation of cancer cell proliferation, differentiation and cell cycle.
Research Projects:
The mechanism of cancer prevention by carotenoids and other dietary compounds, especially in mammary, endometrial and prostate cancer. Modulation of sex hormone signaling in cancer and in bone cells by dietary compounds. Regulation of cell proliferation and cell cycle machinery in cancer cells. Regulation of transcription factors by carotenoids and other dietary compounds. Carotenoid absorption into human malignant and non-malignant tissues. Carotenoid bioavailability in people. Effect of steroid hormones and growth factors (IGF). Insulin like growth factor system: Receptors, signal transduction, IGFs binding proteins.
Abstracts of Current Research:
  • The role of lycopene and its derivatives in the regulation of transcription systems: Evidence from epidemiological studies has suggested that carotenoids, and lycopene in particular, decrease the risk of cancer. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms whereby lycopene and other carotenoids may exert their chemoprotective effects, we and others have performed a series of studies using a large panel of cancer cell lines of different lineages and animal models of human cancer. Here we address some of the mechanisms proposed for the cancer preventive activity of tomato lycopene, focusing on the induction of the antioxidant response element transcription system and the inhibition of the transcriptional activity of sex hormones such as estrogens and androgens and the activity of growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor. The ligands and the phyto-nutrient regulators of these transcription systems contain electrophilic active groups whereas lycopene and other carotenoids are devoid of them. Thus, a tenable suggestion is made that at least part of the cellular effects of carotenoids are mediated through their derivatives formed either by chemical oxidation or by enzymatic cleavage inside the cells.
Publications:
  • Hirsch, K., Atzmon, A., Danilenko, M., Levy, J. and Sharoni Y.. Lycopene and other carotenoids inhibit estrogenic activity of 17β-estradiol and genistein in cancer cells. Breast Cancer Res Treat 104: 221-230 (2007)
  • Walfisch, S., Walfisch, Y., Kirilov, E., Linde, N., Mnitentag, H., Agbaria, R., Sharoni Y. and Levy, J. . Tomato lycopene extract supplementation decreases insulin-like growth factor-I levels in colon cancer patients Eur J Cancer Prev 16: 298-303 (2007)
  • Nahum, A., Zeller, L., Danilenko, M., Prall, O. W. J., Watts, C. K. W., Sutherland, R. L., Levy, J., and Sharoni, Y.. Lycopene inhibition of IGF-induced cancer cell growth depends on the level of cyclin D1. Eur J Nutr 45: 275-282 (2006)
  • Ben-Dor, A., Steiner, M., Gheber, L., Danilenko, M., Dubi, N., Linnewiel, K., Zick, A., Sharoni, Y., and Levy, J.. Carotenoids activate the antioxidant response element transcription system Mol Cancer Ther 4: 177-186 (2005)
  • Levy, J., Danilenko, M. & SHARONI, Y.. The tomato carotenoid lycopene and cancer. In: H. Ohigashi, T. Osawa, J. Tera, S. Watanabe, and T. Yoshikawa (eds.), Food factors for cancer prevention : (1997)
  • SHARONI, Y., Giron, E., Rise, M. & Levy, J.. Effects of lycopene enriched tomato oleoresin on 7,12-dimethyl-benz[a]anthracene-induced rat mammary tumors Cancer Detection and Prevention 21(2): 118-123 (1997)
  • Karas, M., Danilenko, M., Fishman, D., LeRoith, D., Levy, J. & SHARONI, Y.. Membrane associated IGFBP-3 inhibits insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)-induced IGF-I receptor signaling in Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells J Biol Chem. 272: 16514-16520 (1997)
Keywords:Carotenoids, Antioxidant response element, Nrf2, Mammary Cancer, Prostate cancer, Sex hormone signaling, Cell Proliferation, IGFs, osteoblasts, osteoclasts.
Phones:
  1. Phone: 972-8-6403421
  2. Phone: 972-8-6460876
  3. Fax: 972-8-6403177
  4. Mobile: 052-4830883
Email:yoav@bgu.ac.il