Background: Curcumin has been isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa. Over the years, it has shown outstanding therapeutic potential in various human disorders including cancers. Objective: The curcumin effects on the signaling pathway of apoptosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell line HN5 were studied in this study. Methods: The cytotoxicity of curcumin on HN5 cells was assessed. In addition, HN5 cells were also treated with curcumin to evaluate its effect on the caspase-8, -9, Bcl-2, Bax, and Stat3 genes expression. Results: The results exhibited that viability of cells reduced following treatment of curcumin in a concentration-dependent manner. Curcumin treatment caused decreased expression of Bcl2, with simultaneous upregulation of the Bax/Bcl2 ratio. Curcumin led to an increase in the caspase-9 expression and no effect on caspase-8. Also, it caused to decrease in Stat3 expression. The induction of the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway of curcumin happened by the modulation in the expression of Bcl2 and Bax genes, resulting in the caspase-9 activation, also curcumin causes the decreasing the expression of the Stat3 in HN-5 cells. Conclusions: In conclusion, curcumin showed marked anticancer effects in the HN-5 cell line by modulation of Stat-3; Bax/Bcl 2 expression in vitro. To confirm the effect of curcumin on the studied genes, it is better to study their protein expression in future studies.
The reports show that rutin has good potentials as an anticancer agent; however, rutin has poor bioavailability due to its low aqueous solubility. The present study was aimed at preparing and evaluating physicochemical properties as well as the anticancer activities of rutin nanocrystals (RNs). RNs were prepared via the ultrasonication method. The prepared nanocrystals then were physicochemically characterized by the conventional techniques. The cytotoxic effect of RNs and free rutin on the HN5 head and neck squamous carcinoma cell line was assessed. The HGF1-PI1 cells as normal oral cells were treated by RNs. Cells were also exposed to rutin and RNs to determine their effects on the expression of caspase-8, caspase-9, Bcl-2, and Bax genes. The prepared RNs have a mean particle size of 75 ± 0.16 nm and quasispherical morphology. Rutin displayed no significant cytotoxic effect on HN5 cells to 2000 μM. However, RNs displayed a cytotoxic effect with IC50 of 30.51 μM and 27.34 μM in 24 and 48 h incubation times, respectively ( p < 0.05 ). RNs had cytotoxic effect 100 times more than rutin on HN5 cells. There was no significant cytotoxic effect on HGF1-PI1 treated by RNs in 24 and 48 h. The expression of Bcl-2 mRNA was significantly decreased in attendance of RNs compared to the control group ( p < 0.05 ). The increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was revealed within IC50 of RNs in 24 h. Our results confirm that the anticancer effect of RNs is significantly more than that of rutin. The activation of the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway of RNs occurred via modulation of Bcl-2 and Bax expression. These results suggest that RNs may be useful in the development of a cancer therapy protocol.
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