1
|
Wang X, Tian Y, Lin H, Cao X, Zhang Z. Curcumin induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by decreasing the expression of STAT3/VEGF/HIF-1α signaling. Open Life Sci 2023; 18:20220618. [PMID: 37333486 PMCID: PMC10276545 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2022-0618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Curcumin is the most abundant derivative of turmeric rhizome. Although studies have proved that curcumin could inhibit the growth of tumors, its specific molecular mechanism has not yet been fully elucidated. This study aims to systematically elaborate the mechanisms of curcumin against hepatocellular carcinoma. The anti-tumor effect of curcumin was determined by the cell viability test. Flow cytometry was applied to examine the cell cycle and the apoptosis of cancer cells, and the cancer cell migration was detected by wound healing experiments. The expressions of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in cancer cells were examined by immunostaining and analyzed by the Image J analysis system. After treatment with curcumin, the apoptosis ratio of HepG2 cells increased significantly (P < 0.05). The proliferation of cancer cells was arrested at the S-phase cell cycle, and the migration of cancer cells was inhibited by the increasing concentration of curcumin, together with the decreasing expressions of STAT3, VEGF, and HIF-1α signaling pathways. The results indicate that curcumin could effectively inhibit the growth and migration of hepatocarcinoma cells by inducing cancer cell apoptosis, blocking the cancer cell cycle in the S phase, and reducing the expression of STAT3, VEGF, and HIF-1α signaling pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Wang
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Hypoxia Environment and Life Health, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, No. 6 Wenhui East Road, Weicheng District, Xianyang, 712082 Shaanxi, China
- Joint Laboratory for Research on Active Components and Pharmacological Mechanism of Tibetan, Materia Medica of Tibetan Medical Research Center of Tibet, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, 712082 Shaanxi, China
| | - Yu Tian
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Hypoxia Environment and Life Health, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, No. 6 Wenhui East Road, Weicheng District, Xianyang, 712082 Shaanxi, China
- Joint Laboratory for Research on Active Components and Pharmacological Mechanism of Tibetan, Materia Medica of Tibetan Medical Research Center of Tibet, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, 712082 Shaanxi, China
| | - Huanping Lin
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Hypoxia Environment and Life Health, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, No. 6 Wenhui East Road, Weicheng District, Xianyang, 712082 Shaanxi, China
- Joint Laboratory for Research on Active Components and Pharmacological Mechanism of Tibetan, Materia Medica of Tibetan Medical Research Center of Tibet, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, 712082 Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaolan Cao
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Hypoxia Environment and Life Health, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, No. 6 Wenhui East Road, Weicheng District, Xianyang, 712082 Shaanxi, China
- Joint Laboratory for Research on Active Components and Pharmacological Mechanism of Tibetan, Materia Medica of Tibetan Medical Research Center of Tibet, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, 712082 Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhendong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Hypoxia Environment and Life Health, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, No. 6 Wenhui East Road, Weicheng District, Xianyang, 712082 Shaanxi, China
- Joint Laboratory for Research on Active Components and Pharmacological Mechanism of Tibetan, Materia Medica of Tibetan Medical Research Center of Tibet, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, 712082 Shaanxi, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hashemi M, Mirzaei S, Barati M, Hejazi ES, Kakavand A, Entezari M, Salimimoghadam S, Kalbasi A, Rashidi M, Taheriazam A, Sethi G. Curcumin in the treatment of urological cancers: Therapeutic targets, challenges and prospects. Life Sci 2022; 309:120984. [PMID: 36150461 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Urological cancers include bladder, prostate and renal cancers that can cause death in males and females. Patients with urological cancers are mainly diagnosed at an advanced disease stage when they also develop resistance to therapy or poor response. The use of natural products in the treatment of urological cancers has shown a significant increase. Curcumin has been widely used in cancer treatment due to its ability to trigger cell death and suppress metastasis. The beneficial effects of curcumin in the treatment of urological cancers is the focus of current review. Curcumin can induce apoptosis in the three types of urological cancers limiting their proliferative potential. Furthermore, curcumin can suppress invasion of urological cancers through EMT inhibition. Notably, curcumin decreases the expression of MMPs, therefore interfering with urological cancer metastasis. When used in combination with chemotherapy agents, curcumin displays synergistic effects in suppressing cancer progression. It can also be used as a chemosensitizer. Based on pre-clinical studies, curcumin administration is beneficial in the treatment of urological cancers and future clinical applications might be considered upon solving problems related to the poor bioavailability of the compound. To improve the bioavailability of curcumin and increase its therapeutic index in urological cancer suppression, nanostructures have been developed to favor targeted delivery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mehrdad Hashemi
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sepideh Mirzaei
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryamsadat Barati
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic (Fundamental) Science, Shahr Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Sadat Hejazi
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirabbas Kakavand
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maliheh Entezari
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shokooh Salimimoghadam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Alireza Kalbasi
- Department of Pharmacy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America
| | - Mohsen Rashidi
- Department Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; The Health of Plant and Livestock Products Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
| | - Afshin Taheriazam
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore; NUS Centre for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen X, Chen X, Shi X, Gao Z, Guo Z. Curcumin attenuates endothelial cell fibrosis through inhibiting endothelial-interstitial transformation. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2020; 47:1182-1192. [PMID: 32020664 PMCID: PMC7318201 DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.13271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Curcumin (Cur) has various pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic and anticancer effects. However, there is no report on the effect of Cur on endothelial cell fibrosis. This study was designed to investigate the effect and mechanism of Cur on endothelial cell fibrosis. An endothelial cell fibrosis model was established by using transforming growth factor (TGF) induction. Proliferation assays, qRT-PCR, western blotting and immunostaining were performed to investigate the effects and mechanism of Cur on endothelial cell fibrosis. We found that in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), TGF-β1 treatment significantly decreased the expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF-2), dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase-1 (DDAH1), and VE-cadherin, the secretion of cellular nitric oxide (NO) and the activity of nitrous oxide synthase (NOS), while asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and the release of inflammatory factors were elevated. Immunofluorescence showed decreased CD31 and increased α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Overexpression of NRF-2 significantly attenuated the effects of TGF-β1, while downregulation of DDAH1 potently counteracted the effect of NRF-2. In addition, ADMA treatment resulted in similar results to those of TGF-β1, and Cur significantly attenuated the effect of TGF-β1, accompanied by increased VE-cadherin, DDAH1 and NRF-2 and decreased matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. The NRF-2 inhibitor ML385 had the opposite effect as that of Cur. These results demonstrated that Cur inhibits TGF-β1-induced endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) by stimulating DDAH1 expression via the NRF-2 pathway, thus attenuating endothelial cell fibrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Chen
- Nanfang HospitalSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xuliang Chen
- Department of CardiologyThe Sencond Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhouChina
| | - Xiangxiang Shi
- Department of CardiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhouChina
| | - Zhan Gao
- Department of CardiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhouChina
| | - Zhigang Guo
- Department of CardiologyHuiqiao Medical CenterNanfang HospitalSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Xu XY, Meng X, Li S, Gan RY, Li Y, Li HB. Bioactivity, Health Benefits, and Related Molecular Mechanisms of Curcumin: Current Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives. Nutrients 2018; 10:E1553. [PMID: 30347782 PMCID: PMC6213156 DOI: 10.3390/nu10101553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Curcumin is a principal curcuminoid of turmeric (Curcuma longa), which is commonly used as a spice in cooking and a yellow pigment in the food processing industry. Recent studies have demonstrated that curcumin has a variety of biological activities and pharmacological performances, providing protection and promotion of human health. In addition to presenting an overview of the gut metabolism of curcumin, this paper reviews the current research progress on its versatile bioactivity, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-regulatory activities, and also intensively discusses its health benefits, including the protective or preventive effects on cancers and diabetes, as well as the liver, nervous system, and cardiovascular systems, highlighting the potential molecular mechanisms. Besides, the beneficial effects of curcumin on human are further stated based on clinical trials. Considering that there is still a debate on the beneficial effects of curcumin, we also discuss related challenges and prospects. Overall, curcumin is a promising ingredient of novel functional foods, with protective efficacy in preventing certain diseases. We hope this comprehensive and updated review will be helpful for promoting human-based studies to facilitate its use in human health and diseases in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yu Xu
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
| | - Xiao Meng
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
| | - Sha Li
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China.
| | - Ren-You Gan
- Department of Food Science & Technology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Ya Li
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
| | - Hua-Bin Li
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
- South China Sea Bioresource Exploitation and Utilization Collaborative Innovation Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| |
Collapse
|