Gene expression analysis of the mechanisms whereby black cohosh inhibits human breast cancer cell growth.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies indicate that specific extracts and the pure triterpene glycoside actein obtained from black cohosh inhibit growth of human breast cancer cells. Our aim is to identify alterations in gene expression induced by treatment with a methanolic extract (MeOH) of black cohosh.


METHODS
We treated MDA-MB-453 human breast cancer cells with the MeOH extract at 40 microg/ml and collected RNA at 6 and 24 h; we confirmed the microarray results with real-time RT-PCR for 18 genes.


RESULTS
At 6 h after treatment there was significant increase in expression of ER stress (GRP78), apoptotic (GDF15), lipid biosynthetic (INSIG1 and HSD17B7) and Phase 1 (CYP1A1) genes and, at 24 h, decrease in expression of cell cycle (HELLS and PLK4) genes.


CONCLUSIONS
Since the MeOH extract activated genes that enhance apoptosis and repressed cell cycle genes, it may be useful in the prevention and therapy of breast cancer.
Einbond
Linda Saxe
LS
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA. le2012@columbia.edu
Su
Tao
T
Wu
Hsan-Au
HA
Friedman
Richard
R
Wang
Xiaomei
X
Jiang
Bei
B
Hagan
Timothy
T
Kennelly
Edward J
EJ
Kronenberg
Fredi
F
Weinstein
I Bernard
IB
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D031885:Cimicifuga / Q000737:chemistry*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; C526140:GDF15 protein, human; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15; C000717247:HSPA5 protein, human; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; C108626:INSIG1 protein, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; C490219:PLK4 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D004265:DNA Helicases; C412063:HELLS protein, human; C096064:actein