Elsevier

The Journal of Nutrition

Volume 133, Issue 11, November 2003, Pages 3811S-3819S
The Journal of Nutrition

Isoflavone Genistein: Photoprotection and Clinical Implications in Dermatology1,2

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Genistein is a soybean isoflavone with diverse biological activities. It is a potent antioxidant, a specific inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinase, and a phytoestrogen. In recent years, increasing evidence has accumulated that this natural ingredient shows preventative and therapeutic effects for breast and prostate cancers, postmenopausal syndrome, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular diseases in animals and humans. In the past decade we have conducted a series of studies and demonstrated that genistein has significant antiphotocarcinogenic and antiphotoaging effects. Genistein substantially inhibits skin carcinogenesis and cutaneous aging induced by ultraviolet (UV) light in mice, and photodamage in humans. The mechanisms of action involve protection of oxidative and photodynamically damaged DNA, downregulation of UVB-activated signal transduction cascades, and antioxidant activities. In this article, we review the biological activities of genistein, as well as published and unpublished research from our laboratory. In addition, we discuss the potential application of genistein to clinical dermatology.

Key words:

genistein
photocarcinogenesis
photoaging
dermatology
chemoprevention

Abbreviations:

8-OHdG
8-hydroxy-2′-dexoyguanosine
DMBA
7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene
EGF-R
epidermal growth factor receptor
MAPK
mitogen activated protein kinase
PARP
poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase
PCNA
proliferating cell nuclear antigen
PD
pyrimidine dimers
PUVA
psoralen plus UVA
TPA
12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate
TPK
tyrosine protein kinase
UV
ultraviolet

Cited by (0)

1

Presented as part of a symposium, “International Research Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Cancer,” given by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund International in Washington, D.C., July 17–18, 2003. This conference was supported by Balchem Corporation; BASF Aktiengesellschaft; California Dried Plum Board; The Campbell Soup Company; Danisco USA Inc.; Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.; IP-6 International, Inc.; Mead Johnson Nutritionals; Roche Vitamins, Inc.; Ross Products Division; Abbot Laboratories; and The Solae Company. Guest editors for this symposium were Helen A. Norman and Ritva R. Butrum.

2

Supported by grants from American Institute for Cancer Research (96B001 and 00B017) and a National Institutes of Health grant (R01 CA76665) awarded to Huachen Wei.