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pS2 expression induced by American ginseng in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

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Abstract

Background: Alternative medicines are frequently used by patients with breast cancer for general health benefits. American ginseng, an herbal remedy, purportedly alleviates treatment-induced postmenopausal symptoms.

Methods: Estrogenic potential of American ginseng root extract to induce the expression of pS2, an estrogen-regulated gene, was evaluated in breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, T-47D, and BT-20 by Northern and Western blot analysis. Competitive studies were performed with ginseng in combination with tamoxifen. Cell proliferation assays were performed using the tetrazolium dye procedure and direct cell count.

Results: Ginseng and estradiol induce the expression of pS2 RNA and protein in MCF-7 cells, whereas tamoxifen suppresses expression. Neither ginseng nor estradiol induced increased pS2 expression in T-47D or BT-20 cell lines. Although estradiol exhibited a proliferative effect and tamoxifen had an inhibitory effect, ginseng demonstrated no significant effect on cell proliferation.

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that ginseng may exhibit estrogenlike effects on estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells by inducing pS2 expression and that the effect of ginseng may be mediated in part through the estrogen receptor. Because ginseng does not exhibit a proliferative effect, it may play a protective role against breast cancer rather than serve as a mitogen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Bruce Kessel MD & Jane Marchiori MD

  2. Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Brant M. Slomovic MD & Juan G. Alvarez MD, PhD

  3. Division of Surgical Oncology, Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Rosemary B. Duda MD, Bret Taback MD, Danielle D. Dooley BS & Hua Yang MD

Authors
  1. Rosemary B. Duda MD
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  2. Bret Taback MD
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  3. Bruce Kessel MD
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  4. Danielle D. Dooley BS
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  5. Hua Yang MD
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  6. Jane Marchiori MD
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  7. Brant M. Slomovic MD
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  8. Juan G. Alvarez MD, PhD
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Duda, R.B., Taback, B., Kessel, B. et al. pS2 expression induced by American ginseng in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Annals of Surgical Oncology 3, 515–520 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02306082

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02306082

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