Anticancer effect of curcumin inhibits cell growth through miR-21/PTEN/Akt pathway in breast cancer cell

Abstract

Curcumin is a polyphenol extracted from turmeric, which that belongs to the Zingiberaceae family. Curcumin has numerous effects, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, anti-oxidative and antimicrobial effects. However, the effects of curcumin on human breast cancer cells remain largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anticancer effects and the mechanisms by which curcumin affects breast cancer cells. The anticancer effect of curcumin on cell viability and cytotoxicity on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells was analyzed using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide and lactate dehydrogenase assays, respectively. Cell apoptosis of MCF-7 cells was detected using flow cytometry, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindolestaining assay and caspase-3/9 activity kits. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze microRNA-21 (miR-21) expression in MCF-7 cells. The protein expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and phospho-protein kinase B (pAkt) was determined by western blot analysis. miR-21 was transfected into MCF-7 cells and the anticancer effect of curcumin on cell viability and the expression of PTEN and pAkt was analyzed. The present results demonstrated that curcumin inhibited cell viability and induced cytotoxicity of MCF-7 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, by inducing apoptosis and increasing caspase-3/9 activities. In addition, curcumin downregulated miR-21 expression in MCF-7 cells by upregulating the PTEN/Akt signaling pathway. The present study has for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, revealed the anticancer effect of curcumin in suppressing breast cancer cell growth, and has elucidated that the miR-21/PTEN/Akt signaling pathway is a key mechanism for the anticancer effects of curcumin.

Phytochemicals based chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic strategies and modern technologies to overcome limitations for better clinical applications

“…Curcumin also exhibits antiangiogenic potential that helps in inhibiting initiation, progression, and metastasis of various cancers such as prostate, colon, and skin cancers (Fadus, Lau, Bikhchandani, & Lynch, ; Li & Cozzi, ). Curcumin inhibits cancer development and progression by targeting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in prostate, lung, breast, and ovarian cancers (Yallapu et al, ; Hamzehzadeh, Atkin, Majeed, Butler, & Sahebkar, ; Jin, Qiao, Wang, Xu, & Shang, ; Wang et al, ; Yallapu et al, ; Yu et al, ). Curcumin has also gained much importance in the recent past due to its potential of targeting CSCs (Chan et al, ; Dandawate et al, ; Subramaniam et al, ).…”

“…The emergence of nanotechnology has played a vital role to improve the drug delivery system to advance both the pharmaceutical and therapeutic properties of the parentally administered drugs. Different substances such as drugs and phytochemicals can be loaded into a biocompatible and biodegradable nanocarrier that may further enhance their absorption and bioavailability in the circulation (Wang et al, ). Moreover, nanoformulations also protect them from degradation by degrading enzymes, enhance their stability, prolong circulation time, and lower the toxicity (Li et al, ).…”

Translational opportunities for broad‐spectrum natural phytochemicals and targeted agent combinations in breast cancer

“…Curcumin is an active constituent of the herb Curcumin longa and exerts potent anticancer effects in BC. Curcumin acts by downregulating miR‐21, VEGFR, NFκB and Wnt/β‐catenin signaling and by upregulating PTEN signaling in BC . Anthocyanins are a group of coloring pigments from grapes which display anti‐BC effects.…”

Quimioterapia, Hormonioterapia E Novas Alternativas De Tratamento Do Adenocarcinoma Mamário

“…Por meio da citometria de fluxo, foi possível observar a indução da apoptose das células (WANG et al 2017). Já em células da linhagem SkBr3 de câncer de mama, a curcumina foi utilizada em associação ao raloxifeno, um fármaco da classe dos taxanos.…”