Profiling of selenomethionine responsive genes in colon cancer by microarray analysis.

High-selenium containing yeast is being evaluated in clinical trials against colon polyp recurrence. However, the molecular targets for the anticancer effects of selenium remain unclear. Previous studies by our group demonstrated that selenomethionine-induced growth arrest appears to be mediated by activation of ERK and subsequent phosphorylation of RSK and histone H3.

Cytotoxicity of xanthopterin and isoxanthopterin in MCF-7 cells.

Human mammary carcinoma MCF-7 cell line responsiveness to the pteridines xanthopterin and isoxanthopterin was studied using the MTS assay for measurement of cell viability. The pteridines were tested at concentrations ranging from 7.8 to 500 microM singly and in 11 isoxanthopterin:xanthopterin ratios.