Membrane-initiated effects of Serelys^® on proliferation and apoptosis of human breast cancer cells

Abstract

Herbal extracts used for the alleviation of postmenopausal symptoms might have a lower risk of breast cancer development than hormone therapy. Serelys^® is a product composed of purified pollen cytoplasm extracts. Recent experimental data revealed that estrogens might trigger a further proliferative effect on breast cancer cells via the progesterone receptor membrane component-1 (PGRMC1) in addition to the proliferative effect via intracellularly located receptors. MCF-7 and T47D cells were stably transfected with PGRMC1. Different concentrations of the extract alone and in combination with fixed concentrations of estradiol or a growth factor mixture were tested. Proliferation of treated cells was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT)-test and apoptosis was determined using a Cell Death Detection ELISA kit (CDD). Serelys^® was neutral in the cell lines transfected or not transfected with PGRMC1. It was also neutral in combination with estradiol or growth factors in terms of cell proliferation and cell apoptosis. Thus in contrast to hormone therapy Serelys^® appears to trigger no further breast cancer risk when applied in the post menopause to women, who do or do not overexpress PGRMC1. Overall Serelys^® may be an effective alternative for alleviating postmenopausal symptoms without increasing breast cancer risk.

Chinese abstract

用于缓解绝经后症状的草药提取物可能比激素疗法具有更低的乳腺癌发展风险。Serelys^®是纯化的花粉细胞质提取物。最近的实验数据显示除了通过细胞内定位受体的增殖作用外, 雌激素可能通过孕激素受体膜组分-1（PGRMC1）诱发对乳腺癌细胞的进一步增殖作用。用PGRMC1稳定转染MCF-7和T47D细胞, 进行不同浓度的提取物单独应用以及与固定浓度的雌二醇或生长因子混合应用的实验。通过3-（4,5-二甲基噻唑-2-基）2,5-二苯基四唑鎓（MTT）测试测定细胞增殖, 通过细胞死亡检测ELISA试剂盒（CDD）测定细胞凋亡。在用PGRMC1转染或未转染的细胞系中, Serelys^®是中性的；在细胞增殖和细胞凋亡方面, 它与雌二醇或生长因子组合也是中性的。因此, 与激素治疗相比, Serelys^®应用于绝经期后的妇女（不论是否过度表达PGRMC1）, 似乎不会引发进一步的乳腺癌风险。总体而言, Serelys^®可能是缓解绝经后症状而不增加乳腺癌风险的有效替代方法。

Keywords:

• Breast cancer cells
• PGMRC1
• Serelys^®
• proliferation
• apoptosis

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.