Positive Health Online

Abstract

Nakagawa and colleagues, Department of Surgery II, Kansai Medical University, Moriguchi, Osaka, Japan investigated the effects of genistein and synergistic action in combination with eicosapentaenoic acid on the growth of breast cancer cell lines.

Background

Methodology

Results

Genistein, a prominent isoflavone in soy products, produced dose- and time-dependent in-vitro growth inhibition at high concentrations (at least 185 M) with an IC50 of 7.0-274.2 M after 72 h incubation in four breast cancer cell lines (DD-762, Sm-MT, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and one breast epithelial cell line (HBL-100) of human and animal origin; it stimulated oestrogen-receptor-positive MCF-7 cells at low concentrations (3.7 nM-37 M). Genistein-exposed cells underwent apoptosis, confirmed by G2/M arrest followed by the appearance of a sub-G1 fraction in cell-cycle progression, and by a characteristic cell ultrastructure. The apoptosis cascade was due to up-regulation of Bax protein, down-regulation of Bcl-XL protein, and activation of caspase-3. Genistein acted in synergism with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a fish oil component, on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells (genistein > 93.2 M and EPA > 210.9 M) and on MDA-MB-231 cells (genistein > 176.1 M and EPA > 609.3 M).

Conclusion

Dietary intake of genistein in combination with EPA may be beneficial for breast cancer control.

References

Nakagawa H et al. Effects of genistein and synergistic action in combination with eicosapentaenoic acid on the growth of breast cancer cell lines. Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology 126(8): 448-54. Aug 2000.