Lunasin 對肥胖因子誘發之炎症反應影響乳癌細胞生長機制的探討

Adiposity is associated with several chronic diseases development, especially cancers. A chronic and low-grade inflammatory response usually accompanied the obesity process. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide, and its cause is close to obesity. Seed peptide lunasin is considered as one of potential agents in natural plants, and has been found in soy and many seeds with multiple bioactivities. This study aims to study whether lunasin can inhibit the growth of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by regulation of inflammatory factors, estrogen receptors (ER), and aromatase expression and activity. In addition, the estradiol(E2)-mediated microenvironment was set up to study the effect of lunasin on regulating cell proliferation and vitality of breast cancer cells. First, the result has shown that lunasin treatment inhibited MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 ells, but not MCF-10A normal cells. Lunasin treatment significantly inhibited the cell viability of breast cancer cells, reduced aromatase activity and gene expression, inhibited the ERα gene expression in both breast cancer cells, and reduced VEGF production in MDA-MB-231 cells. Following, breast cancer cells were cultured in the E2-mediated microenvironment, resulting that E2 significantly enhanced the MCF-7 cells proliferation but not the other two cell lines. Lunasin treatment still inhibited cell viability of breast cancer cells in E2-related microenvironment, and reduced the MCF-7 cells vitality. In summary, lunasin inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells by reducing cell viability, regulating pro-inflammatory mediators, reducing aromatase activity, and increasing apoptosis, while lunasin did not affect MCF-10A cells growth. Therefore, the diet rich with lunasin may benefit to prevent of breast cancer or as a promising adjuvant therapy.