Long Term, Low Dose Genistein decreases Stem Cell Populations and Sensitizes Inflammatory Breast Cancer Cell Lines to Radiation. Local recurrence in inflammatory breast cancer is common and is associated with poor
prognosis.
Previous studies have shown that high doses of the soy isoflavone genistein have a growth inhibitory effect on tumor cells, and may sensitize non-inflammatory breast cancer cells to radiation. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of genistein on the growth and radio resistance of inflammatory breast cancer cells.
We show that short-term treatment of inflammatory cell lines IBC3 and SUM149 with genistein decreases cell proliferation and mammosphere forming ability only at micromolar doses, but had minimal effect on stem cell marker expression and radio resistance of these cells.
However, long term treatment with a low dose of genistein, which may mimic dietary intake, decreased stem cell populations and mammosphere forming ability and increased radiation, induced cell death in these lines. Despite multi-modality treatments, local recurrence is common.
Although treatment of cancer cells with high doses of genistein may have a growth inhibitory effect, dietary intake may result in long term exposure to much lower doses. The effect of chronic exposure to low doses of genistein is unclear.
Cancer Stud Mol Med Open J. 2015; 2(1): 60-65. doi: 10.17140/CSMMOJ-2-107
