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Naringenin (NGEN) is a flavanone especially abundant in the Mediterranean diet (citrus fruits and tomato), which is reported to present anti-proliferative effects in many cancer cell lines and to induce apoptosis via activation of NF-KB. Previous studies reported that NGEN has estrogen agonistic and antagonistic activities in distinct types of cells. Knowing that estrogens are cell growth promoters, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of NGEN (at concentrations ranging from 1 µM to 100 µM) using a human breast cancer oestrogen receptor-dependent (ERα+/ERβ+) cell line (MCF-7).and an ER-independent ERα-/ERβ-) cell line (SKBR-3). Although cell viability was not affected by NGEN alone at any concentration used in either cell line, incubation of cells with NGEN together with InM 17β-estradiol resulted in decreased cell viability in MCF-7 cells but not in SKBR-3. These findings are in agreement with the literature, suggesting that NGEN effects depend on the presence or absence of ER. Apoptosis was further evaluated after incubation of both types of cells with 10 µM NGEN. Cell migration was also affected by incubation with 10 µM NGEN as analyzed by injury assay and by double-chamber assay. These ongoing studies suggest that dietary flavanone NGEN exerts inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth and migration, and emphasize that these effects might be mediated by the presence of ER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When human breast cancer MCF7 cells were treated with progesterone, our group found high expression of genes involved in Platelet-derived Growth Factor (PDGF) signalling pathway. PDGF expression in turnout cells is associated with increased angiogenic levels and its role in vessel stabilization is well established. The aim is to investigate whether blocking PDGF might be an antitumourigenic way in hormone-dependent breast cancer. Imatinib is a drug which interacts with specific Tyrosine-Kinase receptors such as c-KIT and PDGFR. Cultures of MCF7 cells, incubated with Progesterone or Progesterone+Imatinib were evaluated for viability, by MTT assay, apoptosis, by TUNEL assay, and migration, by Injury and Double-Chamber assays. Imunoexpression for PDGFR-α was accomplished by Western-blotting. Experiences using the same conditions in Endothelial Cells and Smooth Muscle Cells were addressed in our laboratory to investigate the interplay between progesterone and the role of PDGF in angiogenesis. Results seem to indicate that Imatinib-treated cells have higher apoptosis levels, poorer viability and less migration ability when compared to non-treated cell cultures. The findings obtained in this study, focusing the role of Imatinib in tumour angiogenesis can drive us to new therapeutic strategies against hormone-dependent cancers, which maintain a high incidence in our population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]