title: Characterizing the efficacy of fermented wheat germ extract against ovarian cancer and defining the genomic basis of its activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Most women with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (OVCA) ultimately develop chemoresistant recurrent disease. Therefore, a great need to develop new, more active, and less toxic agents and/or to optimize the efficacy of existing agents exists.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we investigated the activity of Avemar, a natural, nontoxic, fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE), against a range of OVCA cell lines, both alone and in combination with cisplatin chemotherapy and delineated the molecular signaling pathways that underlie FWGE activity at a genome-wide level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that FWGE exhibited significant antiproliferative effects against 12 human OVCA cell lines and potentiated cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Pearson correlation of FWGE sensitivity and gene expression data identified 2142 genes (false discovery rate < 0.2) representing 27 biologic pathways (P < 0.05) to be significantly associated with FWGE sensitivity. A parallel analysis of genomic data for 59 human cancer cell lines matched to chemosensitivity data for 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone, a proposed active component of FWGE, identified representation of 13 pathways common to both FWGE and 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone sensitivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings confirm the value of FWGE as a natural product with anticancer properties that may also enhance the activity of existing therapeutic agents. Furthermore, our findings provide substantial insights into the molecular basis of FWGE's effect on human cancer cells.
authors: Department of Women's Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
authors: Patricia L
authors: PL
authors: Judson
authors: Entidhar
authors: E
authors: Al Sawah
authors: Douglas C
authors: DC
authors: Marchion
authors: Yin
authors: Y
authors: Xiong
authors: Elona
authors: E
authors: Bicaku
authors: Nadim
authors: N
authors: Bou Zgheib
authors: Hye Sook
authors: HS
authors: Chon
authors: Xiaomang B
authors: XB
authors: Stickles
authors: Ardeshir
authors: A
authors: Hakam
authors: Robert M
authors: RM
authors: Wenham
authors: Sachin M
authors: SM
authors: Apte
authors: Jesus
authors: J
authors: Gonzalez-Bosquet
authors: Dung-Tsa
authors: DT
authors: Chen
authors: Johnathan M
authors: JM
authors: Lancaster
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C113915:Avemar; D016227:Benzoquinones; D010936:Plant Extracts; C030511:2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone; D002945:Cisplatin