Estrogenicity of adzuki bean Phaseolus angularis wight. and its effect on proesterone receptor level in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells / 中国中药杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the estrogenic activity of ethanol extract from adzuki bean Phaseolus angularis and its effect on progesterone receptor (PR) level of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The modified MCF-7 cell proliferation assay was used to evaluate the estrogenic activity of adzuki bean extract. And its effect on PR mRNA and protein were addressed using RT-PCR measurements and western blotting analysis respectively in which pure estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780 was employed as the tool.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The estrogenic activity of adzuki bean extract at various concentrations (10-200 microg x mL(-1)), expressed as proliferative effect (PE) relative to that of solvent control, was examined. The results indicated that the extract of adzuki bean was able to induce MCF-7 cell growth with a maximum at 100 microg x mL(-1). The results of RT-PCR and western blotting showed that PR mRNA and protein could be significantly induced by adzuki bean extract in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, the specific estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780 could block these reactions.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ethanol extract of adzuki bean has the estrogen-like activities through the estrogen response pathway.</p>