The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of air‐drying and freeze‐drying and subsequent storage of dried products on the content of polyphenols, anthocyanins and the antioxidant properties of selected berry fruits. The material was raspberry (Rubus ideaus L.), strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch) and bilberry (Vaccinum myrtillus). Despite exposure to atmospheric oxygen, the stored freeze‐dried fruit retained the properties of the raw material better than the air‐dried product. In the case of the latter, there were considerable differences in the retention of total polyphenolic and anthocyanin content as well as antioxidant properties in the three fruit species examined. In particular, bilberry maintained a high polyphenol and anthocyanin content and high antioxidant potential despite the greatest losses of these compounds. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Consumer demand for food with health‐promoting qualities is increasing. The food industry has intensified its efforts to provide high quality, semi‐processed products that fulfil this requirement. The results presented in this work indicate that even after long‐term storage and despite exposure to atmospheric oxygen, freeze‐dried berries retain the antioxidant properties of the raw material to a very high degree. Therefore, lyophilisates can satisfy this particular need. Air‐dried berries are much less stable during long‐term storage. The dynamics of the changes occurring during the storage of both kinds of product are presented in detail.

The L-sulforaphane (SFN) component of broccoli sprout showed anticancer activity in several preclinical studies including breast cancer. Estrogens are considered major risk factors in breast carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of SFN on the expression of cytochrome P450 involved in the estrogen metabolism in breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 and in non-tumorigenic MCF10A cell line. The expression of CYP19, CYP1A1, 1A2, 1B1 was determined at the transcript and protein levels. There were found some remarkable differences in the effect of SFN at a dose of 5 µmol/L on CYP19 expression: in ER(+) MCF7 significant reduction, in ER(-) MDA-MB-231 an increased expression and unchanged expression in MCF10A cell line. The effect of SFN on CYPs (1A1, 1A2, 1B1) involved in estrogen catabolism was to a lesser extent dependent on breast cell line. The slightly reduced CYP1A1 protein level was observed in all cell lines tested. An increased level of CYP1A2 and decreased level of CYP1B1 expression were found in MCF10A. These results indicate that the naturally occurring L isomer of SFN may affect the expression of P450s involved in estrogen metabolism. This effect may contribute to the anticancer activity of SFN in breast tissue.

#1113 Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Western women. Most cases (up to 75%) are estrogen-dependent. The estrogen-independent cases are more invasive, more difficult to treat, and they are connected with worse prognosis. The biologically active estrogens important in the proliferation of breast cancer are produced from inactive precursors by the action of aromatase encoded by CYP19 gene. Conventional treatment (e.i. hormonal therapy) is expensive and for advanced cancer ultimately unsuccessful. That is why early diagnosis and prevention of this disease is urgently needed. A new hope is brought by chemoprevention – the concept of early intervention by usage of different agents inhibiting the development of invasive cancer. Recent epidemiological migrant studies showed that consumption of raw or short cooked cabbage and sauerkraut is connected with significant reduction of breast cancer incidences. Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) – a major in vivo acid-catalyzed condensation product of I3C, and sulforaphane (SUL) are examples of numerous active chemicals in cabbage.
 The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of I3C, DIM and SUL on the profile of CYP19 expression in human breast cancer estrogen-dependent MCF-7 cell line. Cells were treated with these compounds at the concentrations relevant to those observed in human plasma. The total RNA extraction from cell cultures after 144 hours of incubation with different substances concentrations and reverse transcriptase reaction preceded the cDNA synthesis. The screening of cDNA from aromatase mRNA was performed using real-time PCR assay. The results showed that I3C in the dose of 30 μM reduced the expression of CYP19 in MCF-7 cell line. In contrast, higher dose of I3C (50 μM) induced its expression. The latter results confirmed the observations of the other authors indicating reciprocal I3C effect on carcinogenesis. SUL in the doses of 5μM and 20μM diminished the level of CYP19 mRNA. Similar trend was observed after treatment with 5 μM and 10 μM of DIM. Since the down-regulation of CYP19 gene causes the reduction in estrogens synthesis the usage of I3C, DIM, and/or SUL could be well-founded as preventive agents against breast carcinoma development. Further investigation on estrogen-independent MDA-MB-231 cell line which is under way are necessary to compare the possible application of I3C, DIM, and SUL as a chemopreventive agents depending on the hormonal character of the tumour. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 1113.