Description
Maintenance and propagation of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) is mediated via cytokine and growth factor networks. Direct in vivo linkage between dietary regulation of mammary stem (MaSC)/progenitor cell numbers and protection from breast cancer has not been reported. Here, we investigated the effect of post-weaning intake of soy protein isolate (SPI) relative to the control casein (CAS) diet on the stem/progenitor population and tumor formation in MMTV-Wnt1-Transgenic (Wnt1-Tg) female mice. Gene expression profile of the basal (MaSC-enriched) sub-population in preneoplastic Wnt1-Tg mice demonstrated a stem cell-like expression pattern and markedly suppressed expression of inflammatory cytokines, C-X-C family chemokines, and metastasis-associated genes with dietary SPI exposure.