ABSTRACT

This chapter presents the types of immune cells comprising the tumor reactive stroma, analyses the role of these cells in tumor development. It describes the biological activity of selected polyphenols, which regulate the function of these cells thereby affecting the development and progression of the tumor. The chapter discusses the activity of selected polyphenols, including resveratrol, quercetin, apigenin, silibinin, curcumin, epigallocatechin 3-gallate, and others, on the immune cells closely associated with cancer development. Natural polyphenols or phenolic compounds belong to the group of secondary metabolites produced by plants in response to harmful stimuli and stress signals derived from their environment. The anticancer pharmacological properties of polyphenols, due to the amphiphilic character of polyphenolic compounds, are generally associated with weakening of the protective barrier of tumor cell membranes. The antitumor effects of polyphenols are connected mainly with their antioxidative abilities but also their cytotoxic, antiproliferative, and immunoregulatory activities.