Dietary Genistein and Prostate Cancer Chemoprevention
Abstract
The goal of this research is to determine if there is a developmental window for suppressing prostate cancer with the phytoestrogen, genistein, and its mechanisms of chemoprevention. Genistein in the diet has suppressed chemically induced prostate cancer in rats. Lifetime (starting at birth) exposure to genistein was more effective in conferring protection against prostate cancer than neonatal/prepubertal or adult-only exposure, suggesting that developmental effects plus maintenance regulation play a role in protection against prostate cancer. Neonatal/prepubertal genistein exposure does not alter prostate bud development. Dietary genistein during the neonatal/prepubertal period as well as during adulthood resulted in decreased androgen receptors in dorsolateral prostates of 70-day old rats, but not in decreased estrogen receptors (alpha and beta), suggesting that early exposure to genistein can have a programming or imprinting effect on androgen receptor expression. The authors are in the process of investigating DNA methylation of the androgen receptor promoter as a mechanism of early genistein exposure that would contribute to prostate cancer chemoprevention.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA438275
Entities
People
- Coral A. Lamartiniere
Organizations
- University of Alabama