Nanoparticle delivery of phytochemicals and dietary factors for epigenetic modulation in prostate cancer.

Abstract

PURPOSE: To critically assess whether nanoparticle delivery of defined phytochemicals connects improved exposure with measured epigenetic effects in prostate cancer. METHODS: This narrative review used targeted verification searches of PubMed and Europe PMC during revision, supplemented by publisher records and Crossref metadata. Primary prostate cancer experiments and human treatment or prevention trials were prioritized. Free-compound mechanisms, formulation-specific delivery findings, and clinical outcomes were evaluated separately. FINDINGS: Sulforaphane, green tea polyphenols, curcumin, and genistein have produced locus-specific methylation or chromatin changes in prostate cancer cell models. The reviewed EGCG and quercetin nanoparticle studies primarily measured uptake, cytotoxicity, or tumor growth, without establishing the same epigenetic endpoints. PTEN loss predominantly involves genomic deletion, which demethylation cannot reverse. Human studies include unmet primary endpoints, negative randomized trials, and safety signals. Receptor heterogeneity, delivery route, formulation properties, and tissue exposure limit generalization of nanoparticle advantages. CONCLUSIONS: Phytochemical nanoparticles remain an investigational approach to prostate cancer epigenetic modulation. Improved delivery must be linked to tumor target engagement and then to clinically meaningful benefit in controlled studies before therapeutic use can be supported.

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