Abstract
Proto-oncogenes such as c-fos, c-jun and c-myc are known to relate to cell proliferation and differentiation. Some oriental herbal medicines like Glycyrrhizae radix or Juzen-taiho-to were found to suppress estradiol-17 beta (E2)-induced expression of c-fos/jun in uterine corpus and inhibited N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and E2-induced endometrial carcinogenesis in mice. It is suggested that the effects of such oriental drugs are exerted probably through suppression of estrogen-induced c-fos/jun expression and they are promising preventing agents for endometrial cancers. In the combined in vitro assay for cell proliferation (MTS assay) and apoptosis (DNA fragmentation) in human colorectal cancer cells (Colo 320), a number of naturally occurring chemopreventive agents such as curcumin, quercetin, auraptene, 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA) and indole-3-carbinol were shown to generate apoptosis as well as to inhibit cell proliferation. The results suggest a mode of action of these chemopreventive agents and also imply that such in vitro short term assay is useful for detection of new agents for cancer prevention.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adenocarcinoma / chemically induced
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Adenocarcinoma / pathology
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Adenocarcinoma / prevention & control*
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Animals
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Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
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Apoptosis / drug effects
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Cell Division / drug effects
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Cell Line
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Chemoprevention
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Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
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Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism
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Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
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Disease Models, Animal
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal / chemistry
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
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Endometrial Neoplasms / chemically induced
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Endometrial Neoplasms / pathology
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Endometrial Neoplasms / prevention & control*
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Estradiol
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Female
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Glycyrrhiza / chemistry
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Humans
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Hyperplasia / chemically induced
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Hyperplasia / pathology
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Hyperplasia / prevention & control
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Methylnitrosourea
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred ICR
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Plants, Medicinal
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / genetics
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / metabolism
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / genetics
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / metabolism
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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Tumor Cells, Cultured
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Uterus / drug effects
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Uterus / metabolism
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Uterus / pathology
Substances
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Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
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RNA, Messenger
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juzentaihoto
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Estradiol
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Methylnitrosourea