Antitumor Activity Of Curcumin Research Articles

Green synthesis and anti-tumor activity of curcumin @ ZnO/CuO nanoparticles

Both zinc oxide and copper oxide nanoparticles are promising biologically active materials. Green synthesis approach was used to prepare mixed ZnO/CuO nanoparticles loaded with curcumin extract. The isolated mixed oxides loaded with curcumin (curcumin @ ZnO/CuO) was characterized by UV–visible spectra, FTIR spectra, X-ray powder diffractions (XRD),Transmittance electron microscope (TEM), Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra. X-ray powder diffractions indicated that ZnO has wurtzite structure and CuO crystallizes in a monoclinic system. XPS confirmed the existence of both CuO and ZnO nanoparticles. TEM results indicated the formation of quantum dots of curcumin @ ZnO/CuO with size in the range 6–10 nm. The optical band gaps of curcumin @ ZnO/CuO were determined and found to be 3.4 and 4.05 eV, which are higher than the bulk. The effects of curcumin @ ZnO/CuO on hepatocellular (HEPG-2) and colorectal (HCT-116) carcinoma were estimated by cell viability, cell cycle and anti-apoptotic factors (caspase-3/7, topoisomerase 2beta and annexin). Strong cytotoxicity activity and apoptosis of tumor cells were observed for curcumin @ ZnO/CuO. The cytotoxicity of the current compounds showed higher activity in comparison with other compounds that were previously studied.

Curcumin restrains hepatocellular carcinoma progression depending on the regulation of the circ_0078710/miR-378b/PRIM2 axis

Purpose Curcumin has shown anti-tumor activity in multiple malignancies. The aim of our study was to explore the molecular mechanism behind the anti-tumor activity of curcumin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods The proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were analyzed by 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EDU) assay, transwell migration assay, transwell invasion assay, and flow cytometry. Western blot assay and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were conducted to analyze protein and RNA expression. Dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, and RNA-pull down assay were performed to confirm the interaction between microRNA-378b (miR-378b) and circular RNA_0078710 (circ_0078710) or DNA primase, polypeptide 2 (PRIM2). Tumor xenograft assay was conducted to assess the roles of curcumin and circ_0078710 in vivo. Results Curcumin stimulation restrained the proliferation, migration, and invasion, and triggered the apoptosis of HCC cells. Curcumin down-regulated the expression of circ_0078710 in HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. Circ_0078710 knockdown aggravated curcumin-mediated anti-tumor effects in HCC cells. Circ_0078710 acted as a molecular sponge for miR-378b. Circ_0078710 interference-induced effects in curcumin-stimulated HCC cells were partly abolished by the silence of miR-378b. MiR-378b bound to the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of PRIM2. PRIM2 overexpression partly reversed circ_0078710 interference-mediated influences in curcumin-treated HCC cells. Circ_0078710 silencing aggravated curcumin-mediated suppressive effect in tumor growth in vivo. Conclusions Circ_0078710 silencing aggravated curcumin-mediated anti-tumor effects through mediating the miR-378b/PRIM2 signaling in HCC cells.

Enhanced Solubility and Antitumor Activity of Curcumin via Breaking and Rebuilding of the Hydrogen Bond

Oral delivery of poorly soluble drugs remains a great challenge. Among these drugs, curcumin, a potential natural antitumor drug candidate, is hindered in its clinical translation by its high hydrophobicity. In this study, we report the development of a highly effective curcumin formulation through the breaking and rebuilding of hydrogen bond approach. The method is green and less toxic to human organisms. By the inherent adjustability of ionic liquids (ILs), the insoluble curcumin drug can be designed to form active pharmaceutical ingredient IL. The IL ([Ch][Cur]) exhibits significantly enhanced solubility and achieve the desired concentration (about 20 mg mL–1) under simulated physiological conditions when compared to that of the neutral curcumin. In [Ch][Cur], the superstrong intramolecular hydrogen bond of neutral curcumin was broken and substituted to form an intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interaction by a cholinium cation. As a result, the curcumin active component can be driven into an aqueous environment and further into tumor cells to achieve a favorable therapeutic effect. The exceptional dissolution and cellular uptake substantially improve the activity of the curcumin drug against cancer cells (inhibition rate of about 90%). Taken together, the strategy to break and rebuild a hydrogen bond may be promising for enhancing the bioavailability and oral delivery of natural curcumin.

ERRATUM Improving Anti-Tumor Activity of Curcumin by Polymeric Micelles in Thermosensitive Hydrogel System in Colorectal Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Model (Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology, Vol. 11(7), pp. 1173-1182 (2015)).

ERRATUM Improving Anti-Tumor Activity of Curcumin by Polymeric Micelles in Thermosensitive Hydrogel System in Colorectal Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Model (Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology, Vol. 11(7), pp. 1173-1182 (2015)).

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Curcumin inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion and promotes apoptosis of retinoblastoma cell lines through modulation of miR-99a and JAK/STAT pathway

BackgroundCurcumin, a primary active ingredient extracted from the Curcuma longa, has been recently identified as a potential anti-tumor agent in multiple kinds of cancers. However, the effect of curcumin on retinoblastoma (Rb) is still unclear. Therefore, we attempted to reveal the functional impacts and the underlying mechanisms of curcumin in Rb cells.MethodsTwo Rb cell lines SO-Rb50 and Y79 were pre-treated with various doses of curcumin, and then cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were assessed, respectively. Further, regulatory effects of curcumin on miR-99a expression, as well as the activation of JAK/STAT pathway were studied.ResultsData showed that curcumin significantly inhibited the viability, colony formation capacity, migration and invasion, while induced apoptosis of SO-Rb50 and Y79 cells. Up-regulation of miR-99a was observed in curcumin-treated cells. Curcumin suppressed the phosphorylation levels of JAK1, STAT1, and STAT3, while curcumin did not inhibit the activation of JAK/STAT pathway when miR-99a was knocked down.ConclusionCurcumin inhibited proliferation, migration, invasion, but promoted apoptosis of Rb cells. The anti-tumor activities of curcumin on Rb cells appeared to be via up-regulation of miR-99a, and thereby inhibition of JAK/STAT pathway.

Current status and future prospective of Curcumin as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Hence there is a need to identify new therapeutic agents that improve the current repertoire of chemotherapeutic drugs. The antitumor activity of curcumin has been reported for several tumors, including CRC. A recent phase I trial showed that curcumin is safe and tolerable adjunct to FOLFOX (5-fluorouracil, folinic acid and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy in patient-derived colorectal liver metastases at doses up to 2 g daily. Another trial revealed the effect of combining curcumin with FOLFOX in patients with inoperable colorectal cancer. The aim of current review was to summarize the current knowledge about possible molecular mechanisms of curcumin in CRC with particular emphasis on preclinical and early clinical studies of colorectal cancer.

Antitumor activity of curcumin by modulation of apoptosis and autophagy in human lung cancer A549 cells through inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

Curcumin is known to exhibit anticancer effects on various cancers with selective cytotoxicity in tumor cells. In the present study, the effects of curcumin‑induced multiple PCDs on human non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and the potential molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and autophagy triggered by curcumin via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway were explored, further confirmed by co‑culture of curcumin with mTOR blocker rapamycin and PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002. The anti‑proliferation effect of different stimulus was measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Autophagy induction was detected by MDC labeling and western blotting of Beclin1, LC3, and p62 expression. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Akt and mTOR were assayed by real‑time fluorescence quantitative (qRT‑PCR) technique and western blotting. Our results showed that curcumin inhibited the viability of A549 cells time‑ and dose‑dependently. In addition, a dosage-dependent A549 cell apoptosis‑induction phenomena was observed by the curcumin intervention. Moreover, obvious autophagy was induced after curcumin‑treatment, characterized by the formation of fluorescent particles [autophagic vesicles (AVs)] and significant increase in ratio of LC3‑Ⅱ/LC3‑Ⅰ and Beclin1 as well as decreased p62 expression. Furthermore, the effect of curcumin on a substantial downregulation of phosphatidylinositol 3‑kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway was observed. It is worth noting that the inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin or of PI3K/Akt by LY294002 augmented curcumin‑induced apoptosis and autophagy, leading to significant inhibition of cell proliferation. From these findings, it can be speculated that curcumin potently inhibit the cell growth of NSCLC A549 cells through inducing both apoptosis and autophagy by inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. These results support the potential use of curcumin as a novel candidate in treatment of human lung cancer.

Inhibition of Curcumin on ZAKα Activity Resultant in Apoptosis and Anchorage-Independent Growth in Cancer Cells.

Curcumin, a popular yellow pigment of the dietary spice turmeric, has been reported to inhibit cell growth and to induce apoptosis in a wide variety of cancer cells. Although numerous studies have investigated anticancer effects of curcumin, the precise molecular mechanism of action remains unidentified. Whereas curcumin mediates cell survival and apoptosis through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling cascades, its impact on the upstream regulation of MAPK is unclear. The leucine-zipper and sterile-α motif kinase alpha (ZAKα), a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAP3K), activates the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and NF-κB pathway. This paper investigated the prospective involvement of ZAKα in curcumin-induced effects on cancer cells. Our results suggest that the antitumor activity of curcumin is mediated via a mechanism involving inhibition of ZAKα activity.

Current Status and Perspectives Regarding the Therapeutic Potential of Targeting EGFR Pathway by Curcumin in Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is among the leading causes of cancer-related-death. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer. More than 70% of NSCLC patients have locally advanced or metastatic disease in diagnosis stage, which are then being treated with platinum-based chemotherapy or epidermal-growthfactor- receptor (EGFR) inhibitors. Several molecules which target multiple ErbB receptors and EGFR have been developed, including gefitinib and erlotinib. Identification of novel agents with less toxicity is warranted. Several interesting data have been reported about the antitumor activity of curcumin in several tumors, including lung, breast and colorectal cancers. In particular, a recent phase I trial evaluated the activity of curcumin in combination with FOLFOX chemotherapy in patients with inoperable colorectal cancer. They showed that curcumin added benefit in subsets of patients when administered with FOLFOX and was well-tolerated chemotherapy adjunct. Another ongoing trial is now investigating the beneficial effects of curcumin plus gefitinib or erlotinib for EGFRmutant NSCLC. Improved understanding of molecular mechanisms behind resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors suggests the importance of a genotype-guided approach to therapy and inhibition of parallel and downstream pathways, using agents which target heat-shock-protein-90, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and PI3K/mTOR pathway. The aim of the current review is to give an overview of the possible molecular mechanisms of curcumin in the preclinical and clinical investigations in solid tumors, with particular emphasis on its combination with other chemotherapeutic agents in lung cancers.

Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin in Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

Pancreatic cancer is among the leading cause of deaths due to cancer with extremely poor prognosis. Gemcitabine is being used in the treatment of patient with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), although, the response rate is bellow 12%. A recent phase III trial revealed that FOLFIRINOX could be an option for the treatment of metastatic PDAC patients, although it is associated with increased toxicity. Therefore, identification of novel agents that either improves gemcitabine activity, within novel combinatorial approaches, or with a better efficacy than gemcitabine is warranted. The antitumor activity of curcumin in several tumors, including prostate, breast and colorectal cancers have investigated. A recent phase II trial explored the effects of curcumin in advanced pancreatic cancer patient. They found that oral curcumin was well tolerated. Another trial showed the activity of 8,000 mg of curcumin in combination with gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. This review summarizes the current knowledge about possible molecular mechanisms of curcumin in PDAC with particular emphasis on preclinical/clinical studies in pancreatic cancer treatment. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1634-1638, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The potential role of curcumin in prostate cancer: the importance of optimizing pharmacokinetics in clinical studies.

Curcumin, a commercially available nutritional supplement, has been studied for use as a chemopreventive agent and an anti-cancer therapy in prostate cancer (1). The anti-tumor activity of curcumin and its analogues are well-documented from preclinical studies using prostate cancer models, including its effects on androgen receptor (AR) signaling and numerous downstream targets (e.g., VEGF, PTEN, NF-κB) (2-7). Curcumin was shown to down-regulate AR expression, limit AR binding to the androgen response element of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) gene, and reduce the expression of PSA in LNCaP cells (2). Pyridine analogues of curcumin were shown to have an inhibitory effect on CWR-22Rv1 AR activity and cell growth (5).

Antitumor activity of curcumin is involved in down-regulation of YAP/TAZ expression in pancreatic cancer cells.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most aggressive human malignancies worldwide and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a polyphenol derived from the Curcuma longa plant. Certain studies have demonstrated that curcumin exerts its anti-tumor function in a variety of human cancers including PC, via targeting multiple therapeutically important cancer signaling pathways. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Two transcriptional co-activators, YAP (Yes-associated protein) and its close paralog TAZ (transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif) exert oncogenic activities in various cancers. Therefore, in this study we aimed to determine the molecular basis of curcumin-induced cell proliferation inhibition in PC cells. First, we detected the anti-tumor effects of curcumin on PC cell lines using CTG assay, Flow cytometry, clonogenic assay, wound healing assay and Transwell invasion assay. We found that curcumin significantly suppressed cell growth, weakened clonogenic potential, inhibited migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in PC cells. We further measured that overexpression of YAP enhanced cell proliferation and abrogated the cytotoxic effects of curcumin on PC cells. Moreover, we found that curcumin markedly down-regulated YAP and TAZ expression and subsequently suppressed Notch-1 expression. Collectively, these findings suggest that pharmacological inhibition of YAP and TAZ activity may be a promising anticancer strategy for the treatment of PC patients.

Induction of BCL2-Interacting Killer, BIK, is Mediated for Anti-Cancer Activity of Curcumin in Human Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells.

Naturally occurring diarylheptanoid curcumin (CUR), a principal component of the Asian spice turmeric, has been shown to have anti-cancer effects in many tumor types. However, a detailed mechanism regarding CUR induced tumor cell killing remain to be comprehensively explored. Using two head neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines FaDu (hypopharyngeal) and Cal27 (tongue), we demonstrated a novel mechanism by which CUR levies the cytotoxic effect. We found that CUR induced upregulation of pro-apoptotic Bik, down-regulation of survival signaling by AKT and NF-κB prior to the induction of the caspase-cascade reduction of cell proliferation, are primary mechanisms of CUR-induced cell death, thus providing insights into the anti-tumor activity of CUR in HNSCC cells.

Curcumin induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of prostate cancer cells by regulating the expression of IkappaBalpha, c-Jun and androgen receptor.

Curcumin possesses chemopreventive properties against several types of cancer, but the molecular mechanisms by which it induces apoptosis of cancer cells and inhibits cancer cell proliferation are not clearly understood. To evaluate the antitumor activity of curcumin for prostate cancer, we used an androgen dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cell line and an androgen independent PC-3 prostate cancer cell line as experimental models. We treated these cells with curcumin and then evaluated the effects of curcumin on cell cycle profiling and apoptosis, as well as the activation of NF-kaapaB and c-jun in these cells. The results showed that the ratios of apoptosis in LNCaP and PC-3 cells were significantly elevated in a dose dependent manner after exposure to curcumin. In addition, curcumin induces the G2/M cell cycle arrest of LNCaP and PC-3 cells in a dose dependent manner. Mechanistically, we found that curcumin upregulated the protein level of NF-kappaB inhibitor IkappaBalpha and downregulated protein levels of c-Jun and AR. These data suggest that curcumin is a promising agent for the treatment of both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Abstract 2575: Differential anti-tumor activities of curcumin against apoptosis and cell Cycle progression in Src- and Ras-activated human gallbladder carcinoma cells.

Abstract Curcumin, a phytochemical in turmeric, has been studied as a potential anticancer drug targeting multiple signaling molecules. However, the role of Src and Ras signaling pathways in curcumin sensitivity remains unknown. We investigated therefore the molecular mechanism of anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing activities of curcumin in HAG-1 human gallbladder adenocarcinoma cells transfected with either activated Src (HAG/src3-1) or Ras (HAG/ras5-1). Effects of curcumin on proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle perturbation, and signal proteins for survival, proliferation, and apoptosis were evaluated by WST-1 assay, FACS analyses and Western blotting. Activation of either Src or Ras did not confer resistance to curcumin compared to HAG/neo3-5 vehicle-transfected cells, producing similar IC50 concentrations of curcumin among these 3 cell lines. Upon treatment with curcumin, constitutive activities of Erk1/2 were enhanced, but those of Akt were significantly inhibited in these three cell lines, with subsequent reductions of activities of downstream mTOR and S6K1. The sub-G0/G1 apoptotic cell populations were substantially increased in all cell lines with demonstrable cleavage of PARP, but this increase was most prominent in Src-activated cells. Reduced expression and phosphorylation of Bcl-2 and enhanced expression of Bax were demonstrated to have a causative role for the curcumin-induced apoptosis in Src-driven, but not Ras-driven cells. By contrast, drastic increases of the proportion of cells in a G2/M phase were seen in Ras-activated cells, suggesting a potential role of Ras/Erk1/2 activation in curcumin-induced G2/M cell cycle arrest. These data indicate that curcumin-induced growth declines would be mediated mainly by G2/M arrest of the cell cycle in Ras-driven cells but by apoptosis induction in Src-driven cells. Taken together, the results indicate that curcumin exhibits differential activities against apoptosis and cell cycle progression, depending on activation mechanisms of signal transduction, and that curcumin can overcome Src- and Ras-driven activation of downstream signaling pathways, thus providing evidence of potential application of curcumin for the treatment of human cancers with activated Src or Ras. Citation Format: Misaki Ono, Takako Higuchi, Mikako Takeshima, Chen Chen, Shuji Nakano. Differential anti-tumor activities of curcumin against apoptosis and cell Cycle progression in Src- and Ras-activated human gallbladder carcinoma cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2575. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2575

Curcumin Inhibits Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Human Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant neoplasm originating from transformed cells arising in tissues forming the pancreas. The best chemotherapeutic agent used to treat pancreatic cancer is the gemcitabine. However, gemcitabine treatment is associated with many side effects. Thus novel strategies involving less toxic agents for treatment of pancreatic cancer are necessary. Curcumin is one such agent that inhibits the proliferation and angiogenesis of a wide variety of tumor cells, through the modulation of many cell signalling pathways. In this study, we investigated whether curcumin plays antitumor effects in MIA PaCa-2 cells. In vitro studies showed that curcumin inhibits the proliferation and enhances apoptosis of MIA PaCa-2 cells. To test whether the antitumor activity of curcumin is also observed in vivo, we generated an orthotopic mouse model of pancreatic cancer by injection of MIA PaCa-2 cells in nude mice. We placed mice on diet containing curcumin at 0.6% for 6 weeks. In these treated mice tumors were smaller with respect to controls and showed a downregulation of the transcription nuclear factor NF-κB and NF-κB-regulated gene products. Overall, our data indicate that curcumin has a great potential in treatment of human pancreatic cancer through the modulation of NF-κB pathway.

Role of TGF-β signaling in curcumin-mediated inhibition of tumorigenicity of human lung cancer cells

Curcumin has been shown to have potent anticancer activities like inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and suppression of angiogenesis. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling plays a complex role in tumor suppression and promotion depending on the tumor type and stage. However, the effect of curcumin on TGF-β signaling in cancer cells and the role of TGF-β signaling in curcumin-induced anticancer activities have not been determined. Here, we investigate the role of curcumin on TGF-β signaling, and whether TGF-β signaling is involved in the antitumor activities of curcumin. Human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, ACC-LC-176 (without TGF-β signaling), H358, and A549 (with TGF-β signaling) were treated with curcumin to determine cell growth, apoptosis, and tumorigenicity. Antitumor activities of curcumin were determined using these cell lines and an in vivo mouse model. We also tested the effect of curcumin on TGF-β/Smad signaling by western blotting and by luciferase assays. Curcumin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis of all three NSCLC cell lines in vitro and in vivo. It significantly reduced subcutaneous tumor growth by these three cell lines irrespective of TGF-β signaling status. Curcumin inhibited TGF-β-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation and transcription in H358 and A549 cells, but not in ACC-LC-176 cells. Curcumin reduces tumorigenicity of human lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis. These results suggest that TGF-β signaling is not directly involved in curcumin-mediated growth inhibition, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of tumorigenicity.

Curcumin inhibits proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cells through inactivation of Notch‐1 signaling

The Notch signaling pathway plays critical roles in human cancers, including osteosarcoma, suggesting that the discovery of specific agents targeting Notch would be extremely valuable for osteosarcoma. Curcumin, a naturally occurring phenolic compound found in curcuma longa, has been shown to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells in vitro and tumor growth in xenotransplant or orthotransplant models. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which curcumin exerts its antitumor activity remain unclear. Here we used multiple molecular approaches, such as the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, the invasion assay, gene transfection, real-time RT-PCR, western blot and gelatin zymography, to investigate whether the downregulation of Notch-1 contributes to curcumin-induced inhibition of proliferation and invasion in osteosarcoma cells. The results showed that curcumin caused marked inhibition of osteosarcoma cell growth and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. This was associated with concomitant attenuation of Notch-1 and downregulation of its downstream genes, such as matrix metalloproteinases, resulting in the inhibition of osteosarcoma cell invasion through Matrigel. We also found that specific downregulation of Notch-1 via small-interfering RNA prior to curcumin treatment resulted in enhanced inhibition of cell growth and invasion. These results suggest that antitumor activity of curcumin is mediated through a novel mechanism involving inactivation of the Notch-1 signaling pathway. Our data provide the first evidence that the downregulation of Notch-1 by curcumin may be an effective approach for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

Anti-tumor activity of curcumin against androgen-independent prostate cancer cells via inhibition of NF-κB and AP-1 pathway in vitro

The anti-tumor activity of curcumin against androgen-independent prostate cancer cells in vitro and the possible mechanism were investigated. After curcumin treatment, the effect of curcumin on the proliferation of prostate cancer PC-3 cells was assessed by CFSE staining. Flow cytometery (FCM) was performed to analyze the cell cycle and the induction of apoptosis of tumor cells. A luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the effects of curcumin on the activities of intracellular NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways. The results showed curcumin could effectively inhibit the proliferation of PC-3 cells in vitro (P<0.05). Cells were arrested at G(2)/M phase. After curcumin treatment, the percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly higher than in control group (P<0.05). The results of the luciferase assay revealed that curcumin selectively inhibited the activities of the NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways in PC-3 cells significantly. It was suggested that curcumin could exert anti-tumor activity against androgen-independent prostate cancer cells in vitro by inhibiting cellular proliferation and inducing apoptosis, which was probably contributed to the inhibition of transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1.

Structure and antitumor (LOVO) activity of Cortex moutan heteroglycan and Curcumin

The Box–Behnken design combined with response surface methodology was used to optimize the extraction of curcumin. The optimized results showed that the highest extraction yield of curcumin could arrive 1.12%. The suitability of the model equation for predicting the optimum response values was tested using the selected optimal conditions. The predicted extraction yield of heteroglycan was 1.13%, which was consistent with the practical extraction yield of heteroglycan of 1.17%. Cortex moutan heteroglycan (500mg) was applied to a column (3.2cm×32cm) of DEAE Sepharose CL-6B (Cl−) that was equilibrated with H2O. The two adsorbed fractions (Fraction I and Fraction II) were obtained as lyophilisate after dialysis The antitumor activities of the Cortex moutan heteroglycan and curcumin were evaluated in vitro. The results indicated that the Cortex moutan heteroglycan and curcumin could inhibit colorectal carcinoma (LOVO) cells growth and stimulate apoptosis. Moreover, antitumor activities of curcumin was stronger than that of Cortex moutan heteroglycan. This indicated that curcumin was useful for therapy of colorectal carcinoma.