[Effect of apoptosis in human breast cancer cells and its probable mechanisms by genistein].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of genistein on human breast cancer cell MCF-7 apoptosis and its probable mechanisms.


METHODS
In this study, the methods of MTT, cell apoptosis detecting in fluorescent and electronic microscope and flow cytometry, and expression of Bax and erbB-2 protein were employed.


RESULTS
The results showed that genistein could significantly inhibit the growth and induce the apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. Apoptotic cells of morphology from MCF-7 cells treated by different concentrations of genistein were observed by fluorescent and electronic microscope and the frequency of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells by flow cytometry showed increasingly with concentrations of genistein increased. The expression of Bax protein in MCF-7 cells was increased and the expression of erbB-2 protein was decreased with the doses of genistein.


CONCLUSIONS
Genistein can induce MCF-7 cells apoptosis and it may be one of the mechanisms for the inhibitory effect of genistein in human cancer cells.
Liu
Ying
Y
Department of Biology Engineering, Harbin Commerce University, Harbin 150076, China.
Zhang
Yu-Mei
YM
Song
Dan-Feng
DF
Cui
Hong-Bin
HB
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D019833:Genistein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D019833:Genistein; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C494826:BAX protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human