Puerariae radix isoflavones and their metabolites inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells

Journal Article · Fri Jan 23 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.10.178· OSTI ID:21255844

Lin, Y -J ^[1]; Hou, Y C ^[2]; Lin, C -H; Hsu, Y -A ^[3]; Sheu, Jim J.C. ^[4]; Lai, C -H ^[5]; Chen, B -H ^[6]; Lee Chao, Pei-Dawn ^[2]; Lei, Wan ^[1]; Tsai, F -J ^[1]

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1. Department of Medical Genetics and Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, No. 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, Taiwan (China)
2. School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China)
3. Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, HsinChu, Taiwan (China)
4. Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China)
5. Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China)
6. Faculty of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (China)

Puerariae radix (PR) is a popular natural herb and a traditional food in Asia, which has antithrombotic and anti-allergic properties and stimulates estrogenic activity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the PR isoflavones puerarin, daidzein, and genistein on the growth of breast cancer cells. Our data revealed that after treatment with PR isoflavones, a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth occurred in HS578T, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7 cell lines. Results from cell cycle distribution and apoptosis assays revealed that PR isoflavones induced cell apoptosis through a caspase-3-dependent pathway and mediated cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. Furthermore, we observed that the serum metabolites of PR (daidzein sulfates/glucuronides) inhibited proliferation of the breast cancer cells at a 50% cell growth inhibition (GI{sub 50}) concentration of 2.35 {mu}M. These results indicate that the daidzein constituent of PR can be metabolized to daidzein sulfates or daidzein glucuronides that exhibit anticancer activities. The protein expression levels of the active forms of caspase-9 and Bax in breast cancer cells were significantly increased by treatment with PR metabolites. These metabolites also increased the protein expression levels of p53 and p21. We therefore suggest that PR may act as a chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agent against breast cancer by reducing cell viability and inducing apoptosis.

• OSTI ID: 21255844
• Journal Information: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 378, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.10.178; PII: S0006-291X(08)02162-1; Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ANIMAL GROWTH
APOPTOSIS
CELL CYCLE
INHIBITION
MAMMARY GLANDS
METABOLITES
NEOPLASMS
PROTEINS
SULFATES