ZEN and the art of breast health maintenance

TY - JOUR

T1 - ZEN and the art of breast health maintenance

AU - Pazaiti, A.

AU - Kontos, M.

AU - Fentiman, Ian

PY - 2012/1

Y1 - 2012/1

N2 - Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non-steroidal mycoestrogen that widely contaminates agricultural products. ZEN and its derivatives share similar molecular mechanisms and activity with estrogens and interact with ER alpha and ER beta leading to changes in the reproductive system in both animals and humans. The reduced form of ZEN, alpha-ZEA ralenol, has been used as an anabolic agent for animals and also proposed as hormonal replacement therapy in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, both zearelanol ZEN and derivatives have been patented as oral contraceptives. ZEN has been widely used in the United States since 1969 to improve fattening rates in cattle by increasing growth rate and feed conversion efficiency. Evidence of human harm from this practice is provided by observations of central precocious puberty. As a result, this practice has been banned by the European Union. As ZEN has been associated with breast enlargement in humans, it has been included in many bust-enhancing dietary supplements but epidemiological evidence is lacking with regard to breast cancer risk. Extensive work with human breast cancer cell lines has shown estrogenic stimulation in those possessing ER but a reduction in DMBA-induced breast cancers in rodents given ZEN. Protein disulfide isomerase provides a molecular biomarker of dietary exposure to ZEN and its derivatives allowing the detection and control of harmful food intake. The interaction of ZEN with anti-estrogens, anticancer agents and antioxidants requires further investigation.

AB - Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non-steroidal mycoestrogen that widely contaminates agricultural products. ZEN and its derivatives share similar molecular mechanisms and activity with estrogens and interact with ER alpha and ER beta leading to changes in the reproductive system in both animals and humans. The reduced form of ZEN, alpha-ZEA ralenol, has been used as an anabolic agent for animals and also proposed as hormonal replacement therapy in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, both zearelanol ZEN and derivatives have been patented as oral contraceptives. ZEN has been widely used in the United States since 1969 to improve fattening rates in cattle by increasing growth rate and feed conversion efficiency. Evidence of human harm from this practice is provided by observations of central precocious puberty. As a result, this practice has been banned by the European Union. As ZEN has been associated with breast enlargement in humans, it has been included in many bust-enhancing dietary supplements but epidemiological evidence is lacking with regard to breast cancer risk. Extensive work with human breast cancer cell lines has shown estrogenic stimulation in those possessing ER but a reduction in DMBA-induced breast cancers in rodents given ZEN. Protein disulfide isomerase provides a molecular biomarker of dietary exposure to ZEN and its derivatives allowing the detection and control of harmful food intake. The interaction of ZEN with anti-estrogens, anticancer agents and antioxidants requires further investigation.

KW - CENTRAL PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY

KW - ESTROGEN TARGET ORGANS

KW - DNA ADDUCT FORMATION

KW - ALPHA-ZEARALENOL

KW - CANCER-CELLS

KW - MYCOTOXIN ZEARALENONE

KW - MCF-7 CELLS

KW - VITAMIN-E

KW - MAMMARY TUMORIGENESIS

KW - PREPUBERTAL EXPOSURE

U2 - 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2011.02805.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2011.02805.x

M3 - Literature review

SN - 1368-5031

VL - 66

SP - 28

EP - 36

JO - International Journal of Clinical Practice

JF - International Journal of Clinical Practice

IS - 1

ER -