title: Antiproliferative effect of curcumin (diferuloylmethane) against human breast tumor cell lines.
abstract: Pharmacologically safe compounds that can inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells have potential as anticancer agents. Curcumin, a diferuloylmethane, is a major active component of the food flavor turmeric (Curcuma longa) that exhibits anticarcinogenic properties in vivo. In vitro, it suppressed c-jun/Ap-1 and NF-kappaB activation and type 1 human immunodeficiency virus long-terminal repeat-directed gene expression. We examined the antiproliferative effects of curcumin against several breast tumor cell lines, including hormone-dependent and -independent and multidrug-resistant (MDR) lines. Cell growth inhibition was monitored by [3H]thymidine incorporation, Trypan blue exclusion, crystal violet dye uptake and flow cytometry. All the cell lines tested, including the MDR-positive ones, were highly sensitive to curcumin. The growth inhibitory effect of curcumin was time- and dose-dependent, and correlated with its inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase activity. Curcumin preferentially arrested cells in the G2/S phase of the cell cycle. Curcumin-induced cell death was neither due to apoptosis nor to any significant change in the expression of apoptosis-related genes, including Bcl-2, p53, cyclin B and transglutaminase. Overall our results suggest that curcumin is a potent antiproliferative agent for breast tumor cells and may have potential as an anticancer agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioimmunotherapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pantazis
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McQueen
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D004317:Doxorubicin; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D003474:Curcumin