Effect of ellagic acid on the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) alpha+beta+ transcript in estrogen receptor-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the potential of ellagic acid to inhibit the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) alpha+beta+ splice variant in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.


METHODS
MCF-7 cells were incubated with ellagic acid (10(-)(9) M-10(-5) M) in the absence and in the presence of 17beta-estradiol (10(-8) M), a known inducer of hTERT transcription, and hTERT alpha+beta+ mRNA expression was quantified by real-time RT-PCR. 17beta-estradiol and ICI182780, a known estrogen antagonist, served as positive and negative controls respectively.


RESULTS
Ellagic acid, when alone, increased hTERT alpha+beta+ mRNA while its coexistence with 17beta-estradiol reduced significantly the 17beta-estradiol-induced increase in hTERT alpha+beta+ mRNA, implicating thus both its estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects in breast cancer cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The potential of ellagic acid to down-regulate the 17beta-estradiol-induced hTERT alpha+beta+ mRNA expression may be a mechanism via which ellagic acid exerts, at least in part, its chemopreventive effects in breast cancer.
Strati
Areti
A
Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, Athens, 15771, Greece.
Papoutsi
Zoi
Z
Lianidou
Evi
E
Moutsatsou
Paraskevi
P
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004610:Ellagic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*
D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D004967:Estrogens; D007527:Isoenzymes; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013629:Tamoxifen; D004610:Ellagic Acid; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D004958:Estradiol; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase