Formononetin

Context Formononetin is a typical phytoestrogen, which is a bioactive component found in red clover plants. Previous studies have shown that formononetin inhibits the proliferation of several types of cancer cells, including prostate cancer and osteosarcoma. However, how formononetin affects the proliferation of CNE2 is not clear. Objective The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of formononetin on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in vitro, along with the underlying mechanism. Materials and methods CNE2 cells were incubated with various concentrations of formononetin (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 1 μM) for 48 h. Cell proliferation was measured by [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while the rate of apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. Bcl-2 and bax mRNA expression levels were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), while p-ERK1/2 and bcl-2 protein expression levels were quantified by Western blotting.

Context Formononetin is a typical phytoestrogen, which is a bioactive component found in red clover plants. Previous studies have shown that formononetin inhibits the proliferation of several types of cancer cells, including prostate cancer and osteosarcoma. However, how formononetin affects the proliferation of CNE2 is not clear. Objective The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of formononetin on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in vitro, along with the underlying mechanism. Materials and methods CNE2 cells were incubated with various concentrations of formononetin (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 1 μM) for 48 h. Cell proliferation was measured by [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while the rate of apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. Bcl-2 and bax mRNA expression levels were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), while p-ERK1/2 and bcl-2 protein expression levels were quantified by Western blotting.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have shown that immune system plays a major role in pathophysiology of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Previously we have shown that phytoestrogens like daidzein and medicarpin exhibit immunoprotective effects, by virtue of which they alleviate bone loss. With this background, methoxyisoflavones like formononetin (formo) and isoformononetin (isoformo) that have been studied for preventing bone loss in ovariectomized rats were tested for their immunomodulatory effects in estrogen-deficient bone loss mice model.