Evaluation of the biochemical targets of genistein in tumor cells.

Although data from epidemiological studies and cancer models suggest that genistein plays an important role in cancer prevention, the biochemical target(s) of genistein action is (are) not known. Genistein is a potent in vitro inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity, especially that of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R), having little effect on serine/threonine kinases. This led to the suggestion that genistein might exert its anti-cancer effects through inhibiting the activity of EGF-R PTK, or other crucial PTK's in vivo. Subsequent studies on intact tumor cell lines demonstrated that EGF-R and other growth factor receptors are able to transmit mitogenic signals in the presence of genistein. In fact, it is difficult to detect decreases in the tyrosine phosphorylation of discrete proteins after genistein treatment. Other mechanisms for the effect of genistein have been suggested from in vitro and cell culture data. Genistein not only inhibits the activity of purified topoisomerase II in vitro, but also leads to the accumulation of protein-associated single strand breaks in whole cells. Genistein also inhibits the production of reactive oxygen species which may lead to tissue damage and DNA modification. Additionally, genistein acts as a weak estrogen, modifies cellular differentiation programs, inhibits angiogenesis. modulates cell cycle events and may precipitate apoptosis. However, few of the above mechanisms in tumor cells are sensitive to the physiological serum concentrations of genistein (< 18.5 mumol/L, or < 5 micrograms/mL). Primary, nontransformed human mammary epithelial cells, which have a much greater sensitivity to genistein, would be a better system for the study of these mechanisms.