title: Reference profile correlation reveals estrogen-like trancriptional activity of Curcumin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several secondary metabolites from herbal nutrient products act as weak estrogens (phytoestrogens), competing with endogenous estrogen for binding to the estrogen receptors and inhibiting steroid converting enzymes. However, it is still unclear whether these compounds elicit estrogen dependent transcription of genes at physiological concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compare the effects of physiological concentrations (100 nM) of the two phytoestrogens Enterolactone and Quercetin and the suspected phytoestrogen Curcumin on gene expression in the breast cancer cell line MCF7 with the effects elicited by 17-beta-estradiol (E2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All three phytocompounds have weak effects on gene transcription; most of the E2 genes respond to the phytoestrogens in the same direction though to a much lesser extent and in the order Curcumin > Quercetin > Enterolactone. Gene regulation induced by these compounds was low for genes strongly induced by E2 and similar to the latter for genes only weakly regulated by the classic estrogen. Of interest with regard to the treatment of menopausal symptoms, the survival factor Birc5/survivin and the oncogene MYBL1 are strongly induced by E2 but only marginally by phytoestrogens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This approach demonstrates estrogenic effects of putative phytoestrogens at physiological concentrations and shows, for the first time, estrogenic effects of Curcumin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. bachmeier@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Beatrice E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Bachmeier
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mirisola
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romeo
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Generoso
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dell'eva
authors.forename: Fabiola
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blengio
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Killian
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albini
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pfeffer
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D017705:Lignans / Q000494:pharmacology; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012016:Reference Values; D000077022:Survivin; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D017705:Lignans; C088831:MYBL1 protein, human; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D000077022:Survivin; D015534:Trans-Activators; D004958:Estradiol; D011794:Quercetin; D003474:Curcumin; D015107:4-Butyrolactone; C029497:2,3-bis(3'-hydroxybenzyl)butyrolactone