Restoration of connexin 43 by Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor in M5076 bearing mice.

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI) on up-regulation of connexin (Cx) expression to estimate BBI's tumor-suppressor effect in mice with M5076 ovarian sarcoma. The relative tumor weight (p<0.05, r(2)=0.301) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA, p<0.01, r(2)=0.493) were negatively correlated with the doses of BBI. In contrast, the relative density of Cx43 was positively correlated with the doses of BBI (p<0.05, r(2)=0.351). Therefore, it suggests that the anti-carcinogenic effects of BBI induced negative growth control caused by the expression of Cx43 genes in mice with M5076 ovarian sarcoma.