Genistein protects dermal fibrosis in bleomycin-induced experimental scleroderma.

OBJECTIVE Genistein, a phytoestrogen, has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic properties. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the protective effect of genistein in bleomycin (BLM)-induced dermal fibrosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study involved four groups of Balb/c mice (n=10 per group). Mice in three groups were administered BLM [100 μg/day in 100 μL phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)] subcutaneously for 4 weeks; the remaining (control) group received only 100 μL/day of PBS subcutaneously. PBS or BLM was injected into the shaved upper back. Two of the BLM-treated groups also received genistein (1 or 3 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously, to the dorsal front of neck). At the end of the fourth week, all mice were sacrificed and blood and tissue samples were obtained. RESULTS The BLM applications increased the dermal thicknesses, tissue hydroxyproline contents, α-smooth muscle actin-positive cell counts, and led to histopathologically prominent dermal fibrosis. The genistein treatments decreased the tissue hydroxyproline contents and dermal thicknesses, in the BLM-injected mice. CONCLUSION Genistein has antifibrotic potential in BLM-induced dermal fibrosis model. However, its therapeutic potentials on human scleroderma require evaluation in future studies.