Efficacy of sulforaphane is mediated by p38 MAP kinase and caspase-7 activations in ER-positive and COX-2-expressed human breast cancer cells

• Published in: European journal of cancer prevention 2007-12, Vol.16 (6), p.505-510
• Main Authors: Jo, Eun-Hye, Kim, Sung-Hoon, Ahn, Nam-Shik, Park, Joon-Suk, Hwang, Jae-Woong, Lee, Yong-Soon, Kang, Kyung-Sun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Apoptosis - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - enzymology; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - prevention & control; Caspase 7 - metabolism; Cell Line, Transformed; Cell Nucleus Shape - drug effects; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cyclooxygenase 2 - genetics; Cytoprotection - drug effects; Cytoprotection - genetics; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Enzyme Activation - drug effects; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - drug effects; Humans; Isothiocyanates; Molecular Biology; Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent - enzymology; Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent - genetics; Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent - prevention & control; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases - metabolism; Receptors, Estrogen - genetics; Thiocyanates - pharmacology; Thiocyanates - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; Tumor Cells, Cultured
• ISSN: 0959-8278; 1473-5709
• DOI: 10.1097/01.cej.0000243856.97479.3b

Sulforaphane is an antioxidant and a potent stimulator of natural detoxifying enzyme and associated with lowered risk of cancer that is associated with the consumption of cruciferous vegetables. The chemopreventive effects of SFN was investigated using the MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and the M13SV1-immortalized human breast luminal epithelial cells. Sulforaphane reduced proliferation in MCF-7 cells and inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 expression in M13SV1 cells treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The chemopreventive effects of sulforaphane were associated with p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase suggest its important role in cell survival/ apoptosis regulation and stabilization of cyclooxygenase-2. Sulforaphane upregulates p38 in MCF-7 cells and prevented TPA-reduced phosphorylation of p38 in M13SV1 cells, but activated caspase-7 associated with apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. These results suggest that sulforaphane may be an alternative candidate for targeted prevention of ER-positive and cyclooxygenase-2-induced phenotypes and breast cancer.