title: Genistein-induced apoptosis is mediated by endoplasmic reticulum stress in cervical cancer cells.
abstract: Genistein, a major isoflavone found in soybeans, exhibits anti-cancer activity. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is known to be implicated in apoptosis induced by anti-cancer drugs. This study aimed to characterize the role of ER stress in genistein-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer.
  
  
  
  HeLa cells were treated with genistein or/and 4-phenylbutyric acid. Cell viability and apoptosis were evaluated by MTT assay and flow cytometry. Protein levels were detected by Western blot analysis.
  
  
  
  Genistein suppressed the viability of HeLa cells in a dose dependent manner. In addition, genistein caused apoptosis in HeLa cells in a dose dependent manner. Genistein triggered ER stress in HeLa cells, as indicated by the upregulation of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and CHOP expression. Furthermore, ER stress inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid alleviated genistein-induced apoptosis and ER stress in HeLa cells.
  
  
  
  Our results suggest that ER stress contributes to genistein-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cells, and genistein is a promising agent for cervical cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China. hanzhigang@medmail.com.cn.
authors.forename: Y-M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: W-W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: X-M
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: J-Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: L-P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; D059865:Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D019833:Genistein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D051742:Transcription Factor CHOP / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; C000717247:HSPA5 protein, human; D051742:Transcription Factor CHOP; D019833:Genistein