Iodine alters gene expression in the MCF7 breast cancer cell line: evidence for an anti-estrogen effect of iodine.

The protective effects of iodine on breast cancer have been postulated from epidemiologic evidence and described in animal models. The molecular mechanisms responsible have not been identified but laboratory evidence suggests that iodine may inhibit cancer promotion through modulation of the estrogen pathway. To elucidate the role of iodine in breast cancer, the effect of Lugol's iodine solution (5% I(2), 10% KI) on gene expression was analyzed in the estrogen responsive MCF-7 breast cancer cell line.

Cardiac norepinephrine release: modulation by ovariectomy and estrogen.

Previously, we have demonstrated that in contrast to male rats, female rats do not show an age-related reduction of depolarization-elicited norepinephrine (NE) release from cardiac synaptosomes (resealed nerve terminals). These results suggest that sex hormones such as estrogen may modulate NE release from cardiac synaptosomes prepared from female rats. The present study was designed to test the hypotheses that long-term estrogen depletion, resulting from ovariectomy, and estrogen replacement alters depolarization-elicited NE release from cardiac synaptosomes.