Gene expression profiling in MCF-7 cells exposed to blackcurrant extract

Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum L., Grossulariaceae) have a high content of anthocyanin polyphenols and these have been shown to have beneficial effects on health, owing to their antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties. This study analyzed the constituents of blackcurrant extract (BCE) and investigated its potential phytoestrogenic effects using a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) overexpressing the estrogen receptor (ER) α. Microarray and ingenuity pathway analysis showed that BCE activated upstream genes such as ERα and transforming growth factor beta 1, and upregulated the expression of many genes downstream of ERα. MCF-7 cells were seeded in culture dish and maintain to confluent. Then medium replace with phenol-red-serum-free DMEM medium with or without BCE (50μg/ml). After the cells were incubated for 24 h at 37 °C 5% CO2.