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Grape seeds contain antioxidants, such as resveratrol, which is known for its anti-cancer properties, as well as its positive effect on the heart. Previous research has shown that the substances in the seeds affected cancer cells in the skin, breast, intestine, the lung, stomach and prostate, in the laboratory. At the same time, it can reduce the size of breast tumors in rats and in the skin of mice. However, the new research from the University of Kentucky is the first to examine their effect on blood cancer.The researchers, led by Xianglin Shi, exposed leukemia cells to the substances in the seeds at various doses. One of the highest doses produced a remarkable effect, leading large numbers of cells to kill themselves, in a process known as apoptosis. Apoptosis is the body’s natural way of getting rid of damaged and potentially dangerous cells. When the mechanism behind apoptosis breaks down, cancer cells can survive and multiply. Researchers have discovered that grape seeds activate the JNK protein which helps regulate apoptosis.When they exposed the leukemia cells to a substance that inhibits the protein, the effect of the pith substances was nullified. Inhibiting the gene that produces JNK also blocked the ability of the seed’s substances to kill cancer cells.