Study on the inhibiting effects of equol on MCF-7 cells proliferation and its molecular mechanisms
Wang, M.; Ren, G.
Wei Sheng Yan Jiu 43(1): 11-15
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 1000-8020 PMID: 24564104 Document Number: 678506
To investigate the proliferation inhibition effects of equol on human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and explore its molecular mechanisms. MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentration of equol, including 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 micromol/L. After the treatment, the proliferation rate of cells was examined by MTT method and the cell apoptosis percentage and cell cycle phase were determined by flow cytometry. The bag-1, bcl-2, VEGF, ERK1/2, p-ERK1/2, p38 and p-p38 protein were determined using Western blotting. A dose and time effect of proliferation inhibition of equol was proved in MCF-7. The MCF-7 cell apoptosis percentage increased significantly in the groups of equol, and the cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase. The expression of bag-1, bcl-2, VEGF, p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 protein were decreased gradually with the increase concentration of equol. The equol could inhibit the proliferation of the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and its inhibitory effect may be due to inducing apoptosis, arresting the cell cycle in G0/G1 phase, down-regulating the expression of bag-1, bcl-2, VEGF, p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 protein.