Anticancer Polyphenols from Cultured Plant Cells: Production and New Bioengineering Strategies.

For many years, anticancer polyphenols have attracted significant attention as substances that prevent tumor growth and progression. These compounds are simple phenolic acids; complex phenolic acids, such as caffeoylquinic acids, rosmarinic acid and its derivatives; stilbenes (resveratrol and piceatannol); flavones; isoflavones (genistein and tectorigenin); and anthocyanins. Some compounds, such as tea and coffee polyphenols, can be produced in large quantities by traditional methods, while many others cannot. Here, we focus on the biotechnological aspects of polyphenol production by cultured plant cells and describe approaches that have been used to obtain high levels of anticancer polyphenols (resveratrol, podophyllotoxin, genistein, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid B, dicaffeoylquinic acids, daidzin, and others). Additionally, we provide our view on bioengineering strategies that could be important for the further improvement of cell biosynthetic characteristics. The main trend is the activation of entire biosynthetic pathways based on a comprehensive knowledge of protein-protein interaction networks involved in the regulation of polyphenol biosynthesis. As an example, we consider the jasmonate subnetwork, which will be increasingly used by plant biotechnologists. The next-generation technologies to sustained polyphenol production are likely to involve manipulations with microRNAs and reproduction of rol-gene effects.