Abstract
BackgroundRecent studies suggested that leptin as a mitogenic factor might play an important role in the process of initiation and progression of human cancer. Therefore, it could be considered as a target for breast cancer therapy. A previous study has showed that expression of leptin gene could be modulated by activation of estrogen receptors. Curcumin is a diferuloylmethane that has been shown to interfere with multiple cell signaling pathways and extensive research over the last 50 years has indicated this polyphenol can both prevent and treat cancer. Based on the fact that targeting of leptin could be considered as a novel strategy for breast cancer therapy, the aim of this study is the investigation of potentiality of curcumin for inhibition of leptin gene expression and secretion, and also, its link with expression of estrogen receptors.MethodsCytotoxic effect of curcumin on T47D breast cancer cells was investigated by MTT assay test after 24 and 48 treatments. Thereafter, the cells treated with different concentrations of curcumin. The levels of leptin, estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor β genes expression was measured in the treated and control cells by Reverse-transcription real-time PCR. Amount of secreted leptin in the culture medium was also determined by ELISA in both treated and untreated cells. Finally data were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA test.ResultsAnalysis of MTT assay data showed that curcumin inhibits growth of T47D cells with dose dependent manner. There were also significant difference between control and treated cells in the levels of leptin, estrogen receptor α expression levels and the quantity of secreted leptin that both were decreased in the treated cells compared with control cells.ConclusionBased on the results, curcumin inhibits the expression and secretion of leptin and it could probably be used as a drug candidate for the breast cancer therapy through the leptin targeting in the future.
Highlights
Breast cancer is one of most commonly diagnosed types of cancer among women in 2012 and expected to account for 29% (226,870) of all new cancer cases among women [1]
Considering important roles of leptin in the breast cancer biology, in this study we investigated the possible variations in the leptin secretion and expression as well as expression of ERs in the T47D breast cancer cell line after its treatment with pure curcumin
MTT assay Data analysis of cytotoxicity assay showed that IC50 of curcumin on T47D breast cancer cell line was 28 and 24 μM for 24 and 48 h MTT assays, respectively (Figure 1)
Summary
Breast cancer is one of most commonly diagnosed types of cancer among women in 2012 and expected to account for 29% (226,870) of all new cancer cases among women [1]. Numerous breast cancer cell lines such as MCF-7 and T47D could express leptin and ObR [16] All these observations confirm that leptin can act by endocrine and (or) paracrine action on mammary tumor cells, and via an autocrine pathway. A significant positive correlation has been obtained between leptin and ObR expressions with breast cancer tissue [20] This paracrine-autocrine leptin axis could become a target for leptin-inhibiting drugs in cancer treatment and prevention. Recent studies suggested that leptin as a mitogenic factor might play an important role in the process of initiation and progression of human cancer. It could be considered as a target for breast cancer therapy. Based on the fact that targeting of leptin could be considered as a novel strategy for breast cancer therapy, the aim of this study is the investigation of potentiality of curcumin for inhibition of leptin gene expression and secretion, and its link with expression of estrogen receptors
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