Chinese Journal of Cancer Research

, Volume 18, Issue 2, pp 83–87 | Cite as

Genistein inhibits expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in HER-2/neu transfected human breast cancer MCF-7 cells

  • Zhu Jun-dong  (朱俊东)
  • Yu Xiao-ping  (余小平)
  • Mi Man-tian  (糜漫天)
Article

Abstract

Objective

our previous studies have demonstrated that HER-2/neu gene expression in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells promotes angiogenesis in MCF-7 cells xenograft tumors, and genistein inhibits angiogenesis in MCF-7 cells with HER-2/neu expression xenograft tumors. Here, the effects of genistein on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in MCR-7 cells with HER-2/neu expression were further studied for exploring the molecular mechanism of anti-angiogenesis in HER-2/neu-overexpressing breast cancer by genistein.

Methods

HER-2/neu-overexpressing MCF-7 cells (MCF-7/HER-2) were established by transfecting HER-2/neu gene into HER-2/neu negative expression breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Immunocytochemical staining, western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were adopted to measure the expression of VEGF in MCF-7/HER-2 cells treated by genistein for 24, 48 and 72h.

Results

HER-2/neu expression up-regulated VEGF mRNA and protein in MCF-7 cells, genistein decreased VEGF mRNA and protein level in MCF-7/HER-2 cells in a time-dependent manner.

Conclusion

These results suggest that VEGF plays an important role in HER-2/neu gene expression promoted antiogenesis in breast cancer and genistein induced down-regulation of the expression of VEGF may be one of the molecular mechanisms of its anti-angiogenesis in HER-2/neu-overexpressing breast cancer.

Key words

Genistein Vascular endothelial growth factor HER-2/neu Breast cancer 

CLC number

R737.9 

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Copyright information

© Chinese Anti-Cancer Association 2006

Authors and Affiliations

  • Zhu Jun-dong  (朱俊东)
    • 1
  • Yu Xiao-ping  (余小平)
    • 1
  • Mi Man-tian  (糜漫天)
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Nutrition and Food HygieneThe Third Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina

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