In Vitro Effects of Soy Phytoestrogens on Rat L6 Skeletal Muscle Cells

Soy isoflavones display estrogenic activity in humans and animals, and thus are referred to as phytoestrogens. This study was performed to observe the effects of the soy isoflavones genistein, daidzein, and glycitein on cell cultures of rat skeletal muscles. [3H]Thymidine incorporation was used to determine cell proliferation, while protein synthesis and degradation were determined by tracking radiolabeled leucine. For the proliferation studies, insulin, estradiol, genistein, daidzein, or glycitein was supplemented at 0, 0.04, 0.08, 0.16, 0.31, 0.63, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, or 20 microM, respectively, or in combinations with final concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1, or 10 microM. Genistein reacted most similarly to estradiol, inhibiting proliferation at > or = 1 microM (P < .001). A combination of phytoestrogens resulted in significant inhibition of cell proliferation, but not to the extent observed with genistein alone. For the protein synthesis and degradation experiments, treatments of 0.1 microM dexamethasone or 1 microM concentrations of insulin, genistein, daidzein, or glycitein were used. Phytoestrogens did not inhibit or stimulate protein degradation or synthesis (P > .05). A one-tailed univariate analysis of variance revealed a trend (P < or = .1) in protein stimulation with genistein and glycitein treatments. These results suggest that the tyrosine kinase inhibiting activity of genistein may be affecting phosphorylation of the mitosis-promoting factor, preventing the advancement of the mitotic cell cycle. In addition, at higher total combined concentrations, daidzein and glycitein may be able to outcompete genistein for receptor sites. These results suggest that soy isoflavones in the diet may potentially modulate normal growth and development in humans and animals that ingest soy-based products.