Genistein Programming Against Breast Cancer
Abstract
Most soy-breast cancer epidemiological studies conclude that Asian women consuming a traditional diet high in soy products have a low incidence of breast cancer. We have demonstrated that prepubertal exposure to genistein, the primary isoflavone of soy, protects against chemically-induced mammary cancer. The purpose of this work was/is to determine if adult exposure to genistein will protect against chemically-induced mammary cancer and to investigate DNA methylation of estrogen receptor genes as the molecular mechanism of genistein chemoprevention. To date, we have determined that adult only exposure to genistein does not protect against dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary cancer. However, prepubertal plus adult exposure to 250 mg genistein/kg AIN-76A diet protected against DMBA-induced mammary cancer. Preliminary data shows that genistein increases DNA methyltransferase activity, suggesting that exposure to genistein prepubertally may imprint molecular events in the mammary gland that determines the "blue print" from which the mammary cells responds to future hormonal and/or xenobiotic response. In the third year, we will investigate DNA methylation of estrogen receptor- alpha gene as the molecular mechanism for genistein imprinting against mammary cancer.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA410379
Entities
People
- Coral A. Lamartiniere
Organizations
- University of Alabama