Hc. Wei et al., ISOFLAVONE GENISTEIN INHIBITS THE INITIATION AND PROMOTION OF 2-STAGESKIN CARCINOGENESIS IN MICE, Carcinogenesis (New York. Print), 19(8), 1998, pp. 1509-1514
Isoflavone genistein is a specific inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinas
e (PTK) and has been shown to have a variety of anticancer activities
in cultured cells and animal models, We report here that genistein sig
nificantly inhibits 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-initiated an
d 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-promoted skin tumorigene
sis in a two-stage carcinogenesis model. In an initiation study, 10 mu
mol genistein was applied daily to female SENCAR mouse skin for 1 wee
k, followed by initiation with 10 nmol DMBA. Mice were then treated wi
th twice weekly 4 mu g TPA, Genistein was shown to reduce tumor incide
nce and multiplicity in DMBA-initiated skin tumors by similar to 20 (P
< 0.05) and 50% (P < 0.01), respectively, Two promotion studies were
conducted using CD-1 and SENCAR mice. In experiment 1, CD-1 mice were
initiated with 100 nmol DMBA and followed by a twice weekly regimen of
1 and 5 mu mol genistein/4 mu g TPA, In experiment 2, SENCAR mice wer
e initiated with 10 nmol DMBA and followed by a regimen of 5, 10 and 2
0 mu mol genistein/2 mu g TPA, Both studies consistently showed that g
enistein substantially inhibited TPA-promoted skin tumorigenesis by re
ducing the tumor multiplicity by similar to 60 and 75%, respectively (
P < 0.01), However, the tumor incidence appeared to be less affected.
Mechanistic studies showed that genistein inhibited DMBA-induced bulky
DNA adduct formation and substantially suppressed TPA-stimulated H2O2
and inflammatory responses in mouse skin by >60% (P < 0.01). In contr
ast, genistein only exhibited a moderate inhibition of TPA-induced orn
ithine decarboxylase activity (P > 0.05), Our results suggest that gen
istein exerts its anti-initiational and anti-promotional effects on sk
in carcinogenesis probably through blockage of DNA adduct formation an
d inhibition of oxidative and inflammatory events ill vivo.