In solid tumors, such as breast cancer, hypoxic microenvironment worsens patient prognoses. We have previously reported in MCF-7 breast cancer cells that, under hypoxic conditions, hydroxytyrosol (HT) downregulates the level of reactive oxygen species, reduces the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and, at high concentrations, can bind to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). With this background, the present study investigated whether the most abundant extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) phenolic compound tyrosol (TYR), with a chemical structure similar to HT but with only one hydroxyl group, exerts comparable effects. Our results revealed that, although TYR did not show any antioxidant activity in hypoxic MCF-7 cells, it inhibited the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/S6 kinase (S6K) pathway and reduced the expression of HIF-1α and some of its target genes. Besides, TYR showed a lower binding affinity with the cytosolic transcription factor AhR, and even reduced its transcriptional activity. Some of these results are positive to control tumor progression in a hypoxic environment; however, they are observed at doses unachievable with diet intake or nutraceutical presentations. Considering that EVOO phenols can have synergistic effects, a mixture of low doses of TYR and other phenols could be useful to achieve these beneficial effects.
Keywords: AhR; HIF-1; MCF-7 breast cancer cells; hypoxia; tyrosol.