title: Estrogen activities and the cellular effects of natural progesterone from wild yam extract in mcf-7 human breast cancer cells.
abstract: We studied the estrogenic activity and cellular effect of wild yam extract in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. The extract increased the activity of the progesterone receptor and pS2 genes at the mRNA levels in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, although the effects were not as prominent as those of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)). Western blot analysis showed that the level of estrogen receptor alpha protein was down-regulated after treatment with E(2) or wild yam extract. Wild yam extract also inhibited proliferation of MCF-7 cells. These data indicate that wild yam extract acts as a weak phytoestrogen and protects against proliferation in human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnolgy, College of Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, Sejong University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi-Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyeok-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Woong-Shick
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Sumi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Mee-Ra
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Rhyu
authors.forename: Youngjoo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D027742:Dioscorea; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053766:Presenilin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; C508861:PSEN2 protein, human; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D053766:Presenilin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol