Biphasic effect of daidzein on cell growth of human colon cancer cells

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology Vol. 42; no. 10; pp. 1641 - 1646
• Main Authors: Guo, J.M, Xiao, B.X, Liu, D.H, Grant, M, Zhang, S, Lai, Y.F, Guo, Y.B, Liu, Q
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2004; New York, NY Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Alkaline Phosphatase - metabolism; anticarcinogenic activity; antineoplastic agents; apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Caspase 3; Caspases - metabolism; cell culture; Cell cycle; Cell Cycle - drug effects; cell cycle arrest; Cell growth; Cell Line, Tumor; Colonic Neoplasms - pathology; colorectal neoplasms; Daidzein; DNA fragmentation; DNA Fragmentation - drug effects; dosage; dose response; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; enzyme activity; Estrogens, Non-Steroidal - pharmacology; Flow Cytometry; G1 Phase - drug effects; Human colon cancer cell line; Humans; Isoflavones - pharmacology; Medical sciences; necrosis; neoplasms; Phytoestrogens; plant estrogens; plant extracts; proteinases; Resting Phase, Cell Cycle - drug effects; soybeans; Tetrazolium Salts; Thiazoles; Toxicology; Tumor Cells, Cultured; PBS; A; Phytoestrogens; ALP; DMSO; EDTA; MTT; DEVD; Human colon cancer cell line; Cell growth; ANOVA; MNU; Cell cycle; SPSS; Daidzein; AFC; Human; Cell proliferation; In vitro; Colonic disease; Phytoestrogen; Cell line; Colon cancer; Established cell line; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Tumor cell
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2004.06.001

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, poorly responding to available chemotherapeutic agents. To investigate whether natural molecules can inhibit colon cancer progression, we investigated a principle phytoestrogen found in soybean known as daidzein, and determined its effects on the human colon cancer cell line LoVo. LoVo cells were treated with 0.1, 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 μM daidzein for 2, 3, 4 or 5 d. The results indicated that daidzein stimulated the growth of LoVo cells at 0.1 and 1 μM whereas at higher concentrations (10, 50 and 100 μM) cell growth was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment of daidzein at 10, 50 and 100 μM resulted in cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, DNA fragmentation and increases in caspase-3 activity. There were no changes in alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP), an indicator of cell differentiation, upon treatment with daidzein when compared to controls. These results indicate that daidzein has a biphasic effect on LoVo cell growth and its tumor suppressive effect is by means of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis but not through cell differentiation.