Nordihydroguaiaretic acid restores expression of silenced E-cadherin gene in human breast cancer cell lines and xenografts

作者：Cui, Yi; Lu, Cailing; Kang, Aijun; Liu, Liyong; Tan, Sainan; Sun, Daguang; Hu, Jianguo; Ma, Xu^*

来源：Anti-Cancer Drugs, 2008, 19(5): 487-494.

DOI：10.1097/CAD.0b013e3282fd5310

• E-cadherin
• lignan
• methylation
• nordihydroguaiaretic acid

In our study we use nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), the naturally occurring lignan, to investigate whether it plays a role in the prevention and treatment of cancer by epigenetic modifications. The growth inhibitory effect of NDGA on human breast cancer cell lines was determined using the MTT assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay). It substantially inhibited the growth of human breast cancer cell lines SKBR3 and MDA-MB-435 with an estimated IC50 of 31.09 +/- 1.6 and 38.8 +/- 2.1 mu mol/l respectively, after 4 days incubation with different NDGA concentrations. The in-vivo anticancer activity of NDGA was evaluated by calculating the tumor growth inhibition value. NDGA substantially inhibited the growth of human breast carcinoma cells in both animal and cell-based models. We also found that a single treatment with NDGA reactivates methylation-silenced E-cadherin gene in vitro and in vivo, suggesting an intriguing concept that lignans may act as natural effective epigenetic modifiers in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

• 出版日期2008-6
• 单位北京大学; 中国医学科学院北京协和医院; 华北理工大学; 国家卫生计生委科学技术研究所