Effect of Dietary Xenoestrogens on Cellular Metabolism in Breast Cancer
Posted: Thursday, March 22, 2018
Dietary xenoestrogens altered the metabolic and anti-oncogenic drug response induced by palbociclib/letrozole combination therapy in patients with estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer, according to research published by Benedikt Warth, PhD, of Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, and colleagues in Cell Chemical Biology. “The results clearly showed that the combined effects of palbociclib and letrozole on cellular metabolism were far more pronounced than [those] of each agent alone and potently influenced by xenoestrogens,” they revealed.
Recently, the palbociclib/letrozole combination therapy was granted accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer. Since the underlying metabolic effects of these drugs are still unknown, the researchers evaluated the synergism of this combination treatment using pathway prediction technology and metabolomics data from XCMS Online.
Amino acids and central carbon metabolites were weakened, whereas higher abundances were observed for fatty acids and most nucleic acid–related metabolites. These findings were confirmed by proliferation experiments and functional assays.
“Our results shed light on the vast impact bioactive food–related molecules may pose on cancer metabolism and treatment,” the investigators reported. “It will be important to translate the results obtained in these experiments to animal models and ultimately to patients to enable targeted nutritional recommendations for breast cancer patients while undergoing treatment.”
