Overexpression of HER-2/neu enhances the sensitivity of human bladder cancer cells to urinary isoflavones

Eur J Cancer. 2001 Jul;37(11):1413-8. doi: 10.1016/s0959-8049(01)00110-1.

Abstract

Soybean foods have been suggested to be practical chemopreventives for human urinary tract cancers. Recently, we demonstrated that the co-operative action of isoflavones results in an increased dose-dependent growth inhibition and apoptosis than any single isoflavone compound. This study aimed to examine the potential of HER-2/neu as a biological target for soy isoflavones. The sensitivity of the bladder cancer cell lines (n=7) to the isoflavones was inversely related to the amount of HER-2/neu expressed. By using HER-2/neu transfection experiments, all three stable transfectants showed a significant growth inhibition by the isoflavone mixture at concentrations attainable in normal adult urine. An increased inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins immunoprecipitated by HER-2/Neu was observed in the neu-transfectants compared with controls. The results of this study suggest that HER-2/neu may be a practical biochemical target for urinary isoflavones in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / therapeutic use*
  • Apoptosis / physiology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Division / physiology
  • Down-Regulation
  • Gene Expression
  • Genes, erbB-2 / genetics*
  • Glycine max
  • Humans
  • Isoflavones / therapeutic use*
  • Phosphotyrosine / metabolism
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / prevention & control

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Isoflavones
  • Phosphotyrosine