Effects and mechanisms of curcumin and basil polysaccharide on the invasion of SKOV3 cells and dendritic cells

Abstract

In the present study, a polysaccharide extract was obtained from Ocimum basilicum (basil polysaccharide, BPS) and the effects of curcumin and BPS on the invasion activity of the SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells and human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) were investigated. SKOV3 cells and immature or mature DCs were treated with 50 µM curcumin or 100 µg/ml BPS. A transwell invasion assay demonstrated that curcumin and BPS differentially regulate the invasion of SKOV3 cells and DCs. Curcumin significantly decreased the invasion of SKOV3 cells and immature and mature DCs, while BPS only decreased SKOV3 cell invasion. Osteopontin (OPN) mRNA and protein expression were significantly reduced in curcumin and BPS-treated SKOV3 cells and curcumin-treated DCs. Furthermore, flow cytometry showed that curcumin significantly inhibited the surface expression of CD44 in SKOV3 cells and DCs, while BPS had a minimal effect on CD44 expression. Matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) mRNA and protein expression were also reduced in all curcumin-treated cells and BPS-treated SKOV3 cells. The results indicated that curcumin and BPS regulated invasion of SKOV3 cells and DCs by distinctly downregulating OPN, CD44 and MMP-9 expression. Therefore, Curcumin and BPS may be suitable candidates for DC-based vaccines for ovarian cancer immunotherapy.

Role of osteopontin in the pathophysiology of cancer

“…In a TRAnsgenic Mouse Prostate adenocarcinoma (TRAMP) model, administration of the soy isoflavone genistein improved survival and reduced the mean weight of prostates with poorly differentiated cancer concomitant with significant inhibitory effect on OPN transcript levels in prostates displaying advanced prostate cancer consistent with the possibility that dietary genistein may delay the progression from benign to malignant tumors by inhibiting OPN expression (Mentor-Marcel et al, 2005). A study by Lv et al reported the combined benefit of treating SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells with curcumin (diferuloylmethane) and a polysaccharide extract obtained from Ocimum basilicum (basil polysaccharide) with a reduction on OPN transcript and protein levels and decreased invasive phenotype of the tumor cells (Lv et al, 2013). In an independent evaluation, Chakraborty et al demonstrated that curcumin abrogated OPN-induced VEGF expression and curbed OPN-induced VEGF-dependent breast tumor angiogenesis in vivo (Chakraborty et al, 2008a).…”

Potential Application of Curcumin and Its Analogues in the Treatment Strategy of Patients with Primary Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

“…Cell signaling pathways mediated by curcumin are shown in Figure 1 [ 49 ]. Curcumin anticancer effects in epithelial ovarian cancer cultures are shown in Table 1 [ 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ].…”

Chemopreventive and Antitumor Efficacy of Curcumin in a Spontaneously Developing Hen Ovarian Cancer Model

“…Moreover, quite a few studies, including studies performed by our group, have demonstrated that curcumin exhibits activity against various types of cancer, including breast, pancreatic, and colon cancer by modulating multiple oncogenic signaling pathways (6,7). Curcumin also has exerted antiproliferative and antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo in ovarian cancer models (8)(9)(10)(11). Furthermore, people who consume curcumin-rich diets, such as Indian populations, are known to have significantly reduced incidence of some cancers, including ovarian cancer (12,13).…”