Epigallocatechin-3-gallate up-regulates tumor suppressor gene expression via a reactive oxygen species-dependent down-regulation of UHRF1

► EGCG down-regulated UHRF1 and DNMT1 expressions in jurkat cells. ► Down-regulation of UHRF1 enhanced expression of p16INK4A and p73. ► UHRF1 over-expression counteracted EGCG-induced apoptosis and G1 arrested cells. ► Mutants of the SRA domain of UHRF1 were unable to down-regulate p16INK4A and p73.