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Brief Communication

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 11, 380–381 (1 April 2004) | doi:10.1038/nsmb743

A receptor for green tea polyphenol EGCG

Hirofumi Tachibana , Kiyoshi Koga , Yoshinori Fujimura & Koji Yamada

The major polyphenol in green tea, (|[minus]|)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), has been shown to prevent carcinogenesis. We have identified a receptor that mediates the anticancer activity of EGCG. Expression of the metastasis-associated 67-kDa laminin receptor confers EGCG responsiveness to cancer cells at physiologically relevant concentrations. Experiments using surface plasmon resonance demonstrate binding of EGCG to the 67-kDa laminin receptor with a nanomolar K d value.