A NUTRIGENOMIC AGENT INDUCES BREAST CANCER PREVENTION IN BALBc MICE

ELIANA ALONSO; DIEGO OBIOL; GABRIELA BALOGH

Annaheim, Calofornia

Congreso; XXII Annual Meeting for cancer research; 2012

American Association for Cancer Research AACR

Nutrigenomics is the scientific discipline that explains how nutrition can influence the switching on and off of genes and improve health outcomes. Is already known that eating healthy food helps our bodies get the needed nutrients for strengthening the immune system and fighting against illness. Many websites discuss using mushrooms to treat cancer. It has been reported that Maitake D-Fraction exert its antitumor effect in tumor-bearing mice by enhancing the immune system through activation of macrophages, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells. The specific proteo-glucan in Maitake mushroom extract for fighting cancer tumors is called the D-fraction. Maitake-D-fraction has been reported to exert its antitumor effect in tumor-bearing mice by enhancing the immune system through activation of macrophages, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells. The proteo-glucan shows anticarcinogenic activity, prevent oncogenesis and prevent metastasis. However the exact molecular mechanisms and gene expression generated by Maitake-D-fraction in the anti-carcinogenesis process are still unclear. We have been reported that D-fraction Standard (Mushrooom Wisdom, Inc., NJ, USA.) induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells by activation of BAK1 gene expression; we also found that cytochrome C1 was released to the cytoplasm in a dose-dependent manner. Recently we identified certain genes responsible for the suppression of the tumoral phenotype induced by Maitake-D-fraction in breast cancer cells. In the present work we are developing the in-vivo experiments studying whether Maitake-D-Fraction can prevent breast cancer development in BALBc female mice. We did perform three groups employing 5 BALBc female mice (6 weeks old) in each one; in the Control group we use 6 animals. Group 1 is control (treated by i.p injection with 100µl of PBS), Group 2 treated by i.p injection with 5mg/kg/day of Maitake D fraction Standard and Group 3 treated by i.p injection with 5mg/kg/day of Maitake Pro 4X (Mushroom Wisdom, NJ, USA) during 15 days. After that time, we did induce breast tumorigenesis by i.p. injection of 4x105 LM3 murine tumoral cells. Each animal were daily controlled for breast tumor by palpation and measurement. 6 out 6 animals in the control group 1 develop breast tumor after 10 days of tumor cells injection (100% of tumor development).  2 out of 5 animals (40%) develop tumor in the Group 2 treated with Standard Maitake after 12 days of tumor cells injection and none (0 out of 5 animals) develop tumor in the Group 3 treated with Maitake Pro 4X. Meaning that 5mg/kg/Day of Maitake D-Fraction Pro 4X prevent 100% of breast tumorigenesis in BALBc mice after 15 days.  In Conclusion, understanding the molecular mechanisms of D-fraction Pro 4X may lead to the development of a new nutrigenomic agent able to generate efficient prevention for breast cancer development in high risk patients.