Curcumin and cancer biology: Focusing regulatory effects in different signalling pathways

Abstract

Cancer is the second‐leading cause of death worldwide. Till date, many such effective treatments are available, for example chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy, but there are severe associated side effects, such as increased infection risk, constipation, hair loss, anaemia, among others. Thus, the need for effective therapeutic strategies and screening methodology arises. Researchers around the world are increasingly trying to discover anticancer therapies with as few side effects as possible and many are now focusing on phytochemicals, like curcumin. Curcumin is a bright yellow substance isolated from the plant rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. To this molecule a high therapeutic benefit has been underlined, being able to alter the development of cancer by different mechanisms, such as regulating multiple microRNA expression, modifying a series of signalling pathways, that is, Akt, Bcl‐2, PTEN, p53, Notch, and Erbb. Another major pathway that curcumin targets is the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) gene expression. In fact, MMPs are responsible for the degradation of the cell‐extracellular matrix, which can lead to the diseased condition and many different pathways contribute to its activity, such as JAK/STAT, NF‐κB, MAPK/ERK, COX‐2, ROS, TGF‐β, among others. In this review, we have attempted to describe the curcumin regulatory effect on different cell signalling pathways involved in the progression of different types of cancers.

Development of PEGylated PLGA Nanoparticles Co-Loaded with Bioactive Compounds: Potential Anticancer Effect on Breast Cancer Cell Lines

“…Despite this, as such compounds constitute roughly 70 percent of all anticancer drugs. Curcumin and chrysin are two of plant compounds that are under focus these days in many anticancer researches (Mohammadinejad et al, 2015b;Bhatia et al, 2021;Alagheband et al, 2022;Salmani Javan et al, 2022).…”

Evaluation Of Curcumin Effects On Bad, Bak, And Bim: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

“…Extensive research has focused on the potential of chemotherapy for this compound. [9][10][11] In some cancers, apoptosis induced by Cur can occur in two p53-dependent and independent pathways. 12,13 Induced apoptosis is time and dose-dependent and is regulated by various signalling factors.…”

Curcumin activates NLRC4, AIM2, and IFI16 inflammasomes and induces pyroptosis by up-regulated ISG3 transcript factor in acute myeloid leukemia cell lines

“…Curcumin, an active ingredient derived from turmeric, has been recognized for its medicinal properties, including antioxidant, anti‐inflammation, radical‐scavenging, anti-solid and -blood tumor, and so on. 5–7 The anticancer effects of curcumin mainly result from multiple biochemical mechanisms that are involved in the regulation of programmed cell death, such as apoptosis, autophagy. 5 , 7–9 Recent studies have found that curcumin can induce pyroptosis of solid tumor cells.…”

“… 5–7 The anticancer effects of curcumin mainly result from multiple biochemical mechanisms that are involved in the regulation of programmed cell death, such as apoptosis, autophagy. 5 , 7–9 Recent studies have found that curcumin can induce pyroptosis of solid tumor cells. 10 , 11 However, it is not clear whether pyroptosis is involved in the anti-leukemia effect of curcumin.…”