Resveratrol Effects in Breast Cancer Cells Elucidated NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Apr 23 - Resveratrol, a phytoestrogen found in grapes and red wine, is known to function as an estrogen receptor (ER) agonist, but whether it might also exert antagonist activity is controversial. Results of in vitro studies suggest it does not. Dr. Anait S. Levenson and colleagues from Northwestern University in Chicago investigated the effects of resveratrol in breast cancer cells stably transfected with wild-type estrogen receptor (wtER) and mutant ER (mutER). In experiments combining treatments with resveratrol and estradiol, resveratrol did not act as an antagonist in the presence of various concentrations of estradiol, they report in the May 1st issue of the International Journal of Cancer. In wtER and mutER cell lines, resveratrol stimulated TGFalpha mRNA, a marker of estradiol (E2) responsiveness, in a dose-dependent fashion, confirming its role as an ER agonist. The pure antiestrogen, ICI, blocked resveratrol-induced TGFalpha indicating that resveratrol acts through an ER-mediated pathway. Both estradiol and resveratrol showed dose-dependent growth inhibitory effects in breast cancer cells. ICI blocked the growth inhibitory action of estradiol but not of resveratrol, "suggesting that the antiproliferative effects of resveratrol also involve ER-independent pathways", the team writes. In gene array studies, resveratrol upregulated more than 80 genes, most profoundly p21 CIPI/WAF1, which is associated with growth arrest. There is growing interest in phytoestrogens such as resveratrol as potential cancer chemopreventive agents, Dr. Levenson and colleagues note in their report. However, based on their studies, they conclude that "only extraordinarily high levels of resveratrol in the cellular environment could produce anticancer activities, but low levels would enhance endogenous estrogen action." Int J Cancer 2003;104:587-597. Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.