Curcumin suppresses angiogenesis, cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in an in vitro model of endometriosis

Abstract

ObjectiveMedicinal herbal mixtures exhibit potential efficacy for the treatment of endometriosis associated symptoms. Curcuma is a popular herbal compound used in various anti-endometriosis herbal treatments. In a single randomized clinical study of endometriosis, an herbal mixture containing curcumin was shown to be effective (Yang et al., 2006). Biochemical analyses of curcumin, the major active component of curcuma, suggest that it has anti-angiogenic, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects in some tissues. To understand its possible mechanisms of action, we investigated the effects of curcumin on angiogenesis, cell proliferation and apoptosis in an in vitro endometriosis cell culture model.DesignExperimental study.Materials and methodsProliferative phase, eutopic endometrium from women with and without endometriosis was obtained by Pipelle biopsy at laparoscopy. Cells were cultured using established conditions. Angiogenesis was assessed by measuring the secretion of VEGF protein. Mitogenic activity was determined using the sensitive MTT assay. Apoptosis was determined by measuring cytoplasmic release of histone-associated DNA fragments (Cell Death Detection ELISA plus, Roche, Nonnenwald, Germany). Student's t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA were used to compare the effects of single or multiple doses of curcumin, respectively. A two-tailed a = 0.05 threshold was set for significant differences.ResultsCurcumin suppressed VEGF secretion in a dose-dependent manner and reduced growth of endometriotic stromal cells (IC50 = 7 uM). Curcumin induced apoptosis in endometriotic epithelial cells. The results of all three experiments reached statistical significance (P<0.05).ConclusionsOur findings identify salutary mechanisms of curcumin action in an in vitro model of endometriosis. The suppression of VEGF secretion, reduction of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in normal and endometriotic cells warrant further clinical studies to investigate the use of this herbal component for the treatment of endometriosis-associated symptoms. ObjectiveMedicinal herbal mixtures exhibit potential efficacy for the treatment of endometriosis associated symptoms. Curcuma is a popular herbal compound used in various anti-endometriosis herbal treatments. In a single randomized clinical study of endometriosis, an herbal mixture containing curcumin was shown to be effective (Yang et al., 2006). Biochemical analyses of curcumin, the major active component of curcuma, suggest that it has anti-angiogenic, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects in some tissues. To understand its possible mechanisms of action, we investigated the effects of curcumin on angiogenesis, cell proliferation and apoptosis in an in vitro endometriosis cell culture model. Medicinal herbal mixtures exhibit potential efficacy for the treatment of endometriosis associated symptoms. Curcuma is a popular herbal compound used in various anti-endometriosis herbal treatments. In a single randomized clinical study of endometriosis, an herbal mixture containing curcumin was shown to be effective (Yang et al., 2006). Biochemical analyses of curcumin, the major active component of curcuma, suggest that it has anti-angiogenic, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects in some tissues. To understand its possible mechanisms of action, we investigated the effects of curcumin on angiogenesis, cell proliferation and apoptosis in an in vitro endometriosis cell culture model. DesignExperimental study. Experimental study. Materials and methodsProliferative phase, eutopic endometrium from women with and without endometriosis was obtained by Pipelle biopsy at laparoscopy. Cells were cultured using established conditions. Angiogenesis was assessed by measuring the secretion of VEGF protein. Mitogenic activity was determined using the sensitive MTT assay. Apoptosis was determined by measuring cytoplasmic release of histone-associated DNA fragments (Cell Death Detection ELISA plus, Roche, Nonnenwald, Germany). Student's t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA were used to compare the effects of single or multiple doses of curcumin, respectively. A two-tailed a = 0.05 threshold was set for significant differences. Proliferative phase, eutopic endometrium from women with and without endometriosis was obtained by Pipelle biopsy at laparoscopy. Cells were cultured using established conditions. Angiogenesis was assessed by measuring the secretion of VEGF protein. Mitogenic activity was determined using the sensitive MTT assay. Apoptosis was determined by measuring cytoplasmic release of histone-associated DNA fragments (Cell Death Detection ELISA plus, Roche, Nonnenwald, Germany). Student's t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA were used to compare the effects of single or multiple doses of curcumin, respectively. A two-tailed a = 0.05 threshold was set for significant differences. ResultsCurcumin suppressed VEGF secretion in a dose-dependent manner and reduced growth of endometriotic stromal cells (IC50 = 7 uM). Curcumin induced apoptosis in endometriotic epithelial cells. The results of all three experiments reached statistical significance (P<0.05). Curcumin suppressed VEGF secretion in a dose-dependent manner and reduced growth of endometriotic stromal cells (IC50 = 7 uM). Curcumin induced apoptosis in endometriotic epithelial cells. The results of all three experiments reached statistical significance (P<0.05). ConclusionsOur findings identify salutary mechanisms of curcumin action in an in vitro model of endometriosis. The suppression of VEGF secretion, reduction of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in normal and endometriotic cells warrant further clinical studies to investigate the use of this herbal component for the treatment of endometriosis-associated symptoms. Our findings identify salutary mechanisms of curcumin action in an in vitro model of endometriosis. The suppression of VEGF secretion, reduction of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in normal and endometriotic cells warrant further clinical studies to investigate the use of this herbal component for the treatment of endometriosis-associated symptoms.