Genistein Programming Against Prostate Cancer
Abstract
We have investigated the potential of genistein, the primary phytoestrogen component of soy, to protect against chemically-induced prostate cancer in rats. Lobund-Wistar rats were exposed to 0, 25 and 250 mg genistein/kg AIN-76A diet, starting at conception and continued until necropsy at 11 months. Male offspring were injected s.c. with Flutamide on days 50-66 to effect chemical castration, with testosterone on days 67-69 to stimulate cell proliferation, with N-methylnitrosurea (NMU) into the dorsolateral prostate to initiate cancer causation, and given testosterone implants, starting at day 77 to promote the cancer. The percent of tumors to the prostate that were classified as invasive adenocarcinomas in rats fed 0, 25 and 250 mg genistein/kg diet were 77.3%, 61.1%, and 44.4%, respectively. Genistein did not alter body, prostate or testes weights or feed consumption. Male rats fed 0, 25 and 250 mg genistein/kg diet had serum genistein concentrations of 9, 60 and 861 pmol/ml, and prostate genistein concentrations of 85, 230 and 775 pmol/g tissue. We conclude that lifetime exposure to "physiological" concentrations of genistein in the diet protected against chemically-induced prostate cancer development in rats without significant toxicity to the offspring.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA392326
Entities
People
- Coral A. Lamartiniere
Organizations
- University of Alabama