Lignan-rich sesame seed negates the tumor-inhibitory effect of tamoxifen but maintains bone health in a postmenopausal athymic mouse model with estrogen-responsive breast tumors

• DOI: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3180479901
• Publication Date: 2007-05-31T08:03:36Z
• Authors: Sandra M. Sacco; Jianmin Chen; Krista A. Power; Wendy E. Ward; Lilian U. Thompson
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 0303 health sciences; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Bone Density Conservation Agents; Ovariectomy; Mice, Nude; Apoptosis; Breast Neoplasms; Combined Modality Therapy; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; Lignans; Sesamum; Tumor Burden; Food-Drug Interactions; Mice; Tamoxifen; 03 medical and health sciences; Premenopause; Bone Density; Cell Line, Tumor; Seeds; Animals; Cell Proliferation

In Brief Objective: Flaxseed, the richest source of mammalian lignan precursors, enhances tumor growth-inhibitory effect tamoxifen while exerting no adverse effects on other estrogen-responsive tissues such as bone. Ingestion sesame seed produces lignans comparable with flaxseed, but its anticancer potential is unknown. This study determined interactive and established MCF-7 growth bone health in ovariectomized athymic mice simulating a postmenopausal condition. Design: Mice tumors were treated for 8 weeks (1) basal diet (negative control), (2) 10% seed, (3) + implant, (4) or (5) estrogen implant (positive control). Weekly palpable size, final weight, cell proliferation, apoptosis measured. Bone mineral content, density, biomechanical strength testing performed femur lumbar vertebrae. Results: Sesame induced regression size similar to negative control tended negate tumor-inhibitory tamoxifen, part by reducing apoptosis. combined higher vertebrae than either treatment alone. A significant positive relationship was found between weight parameters. Conclusions: not protective negatively interferes inducing beneficially interacts mice. Lignan-rich flaxseed protects against breast cancer drug estrogen-sensitive showed first time that lignan-rich tumors, health.