PURPOSE: The protective effect of Allium vegetables against carcinogenesis has been reported in experimental studies particularly focusing on the gut. Therefore, we conducted a hospital-based matched case-control study to explore the association between dietary Allium consumption and risk of breast cancer among Iranian women in northwest Iran. METHODS: A validated, quantitative, food frequency questionnaire was completed in 285 women (aged 25–65 years old) newly diagnosed with histopathologically confirmed breast cancer (grade II, III or clinical stage II, III) in Tabriz, northwest Iran, and the completed questionnaires were included in an age- and regional-matched hospital based-control study. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated using conditional logistic regression models. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed that there was a negative association between the consumption of raw onion and risk of breast cancer after adjustment for covariates (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40–1.00); however, this association was insignificant. On the other hand, there was a positive association between consumption of cooked onion and risk of breast cancer, after adjustment for covariates (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.02–2.32). However, reduced risk of breast cancer was associated with higher consumption of garlic and leek with adjusted ORs of 0.41 (95% CI, 0.20–0.83) and 0.28 (95% CI, 0.15–0.51), respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that high consumption of certain Allium vegetables, in particular garlic and leek, may reduce the risk of breast cancer, while high consumption of cooked onion may be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
Allium* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinogenesis ; Case-Control Studies* ; Female ; Garlic ; Hand ; Humans ; Iran ; Logistic Models ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Onions ; Prebiotics ; Vegetables*

This article was initially published on the Journal of Breast Cancer with a misspelled author name and affiliation of the seventh author.

Objective: In humans, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an androgen-dependent ovarian disorder. Aberrant gene expression in folliculogenesis can arrest the transition of preantral to antral follicles, leading to PCOS. We explored the possible role of altered gene expression in preantral follicles of estradiol valerate (EV) induced polycystic ovaries (PCO) in a mouse model. Methods: Twenty female balb/c mice (8 weeks, 20.0±1.5 g) were grouped into control and PCO groups. PCO was induced by intramuscular EV injection. After 8 weeks, the animals were killed by cervical dislocation. Blood serum (for hormonal assessments using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique) was aspirated, and ovaries (the right ovary for histological examinations and the left for quantitative real-time polymerase) were dissected. Results: Compared to the control group, the PCO group showed significantly lower values for the mean body weight, number of preantral and antral follicles, serum levels of estradiol, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and follicle-stimulating hormone, and gene expression of TGFB1, GDF-9 and BMPR2 (p<0.05). Serum progesterone levels were significantly higher in the PCO animals than in the control group (p<0.05). No significant between-group differences (p>0.05) were found in BMP6 or BMP15 expression. Conclusions In animals with EV-induced PCO, the preantral follicles did not develop into antral follicles. In this mouse model, the gene expression of TGFB1, GDF9, and BMPR2 was lower in preantral follicles, which is probably related to the pathologic conditions of PCO. Hypoandrogenism was also detected in this EV-induced murine PCO model.

Cancer is increasingly apparent as a systems-level, network happening. The central tendency of malignant alteration can be described as a two-phase procedure, where an initial increase of network plasticity is followed by reducing plasticity at late stages of tumor improvement. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are cancer cells that take characteristics associated with normal stem cells. Cancer therapy has been based on the concept that most of the cancer cells have a similar ability to separate metastasise and kill the host. In this review, we addressed the use of nanotechnology in the treatment of cancer stem cells.
Nanostructures ; Nanotechnology ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; Plastics ; Stem Cells

Objective: In humans, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an androgen-dependent ovarian disorder. Aberrant gene expression in folliculogenesis can arrest the transition of preantral to antral follicles, leading to PCOS. We explored the possible role of altered gene expression in preantral follicles of estradiol valerate (EV) induced polycystic ovaries (PCO) in a mouse model. Methods: Twenty female balb/c mice (8 weeks, 20.0±1.5 g) were grouped into control and PCO groups. PCO was induced by intramuscular EV injection. After 8 weeks, the animals were killed by cervical dislocation. Blood serum (for hormonal assessments using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique) was aspirated, and ovaries (the right ovary for histological examinations and the left for quantitative real-time polymerase) were dissected. Results: Compared to the control group, the PCO group showed significantly lower values for the mean body weight, number of preantral and antral follicles, serum levels of estradiol, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and follicle-stimulating hormone, and gene expression of TGFB1, GDF-9 and BMPR2 (p<0.05). Serum progesterone levels were significantly higher in the PCO animals than in the control group (p<0.05). No significant between-group differences (p>0.05) were found in BMP6 or BMP15 expression. Conclusions In animals with EV-induced PCO, the preantral follicles did not develop into antral follicles. In this mouse model, the gene expression of TGFB1, GDF9, and BMPR2 was lower in preantral follicles, which is probably related to the pathologic conditions of PCO. Hypoandrogenism was also detected in this EV-induced murine PCO model.