Mustard oil in "Shibori Daikon" a variety of Japanese radish, selectively inhibits the proliferation of H-ras-transformed 3Y1 cells.

Cruciferous vegetables and their isothiocyanates are promising foods and agents for cancer prevention. We focus here on the effects of mustard oil (SMO) in a variety of the Japanese radish, Shibori Daikon (Raphanus sativus), on the proliferation of 3Y1 rat fibroblasts and the H-ras-transformed derivative, HR-3Y1-2. SMO (1.6 microg/ml) inhibited the proliferation of HR-3Y1-2, but not 3Y1 after 24 h after treatment. A cell cycle analysis showed that SMO induced G2/M arrest after 6 h, although this effect was not observed 24 h after the treatment. SMO transiently decreased the cellular reduced glutathione level accompanied with up-regulation of the intracellular reactive oxygen species 2-3 h post-treatment. Glutathione ethyl ester and N-acetyl-L-cysteine prevented the growth inhibitory effect of SMO. This mustard oil extract consisted of 95.6% 4-methylthio-3-butenyl isothiocyanate and 4.4% 4-methylthiobutyl isothiocyanate. SMO selectively inhibited H-ras-transformed 3Y1 cells associated with transient oxidative stress via reduced glutathione (GSH) depletion.