title: Growth-inhibitory effects of curcumin on ovary cancer cells and its mechanisms.
abstract: To study the growth-inhibitory effects of curcumin on human ovary cancer A2780 cells in vitro and its molecular mechanisms, the growth inhibition rates of A2780 cancer cells, after being treated with 10 micromol/L-50 micromol/L curcumin for 6-24 h, were examined by MTT method. The morphological changes of cancer cells were observed under inversion microscopy. Cellular apoptotic rates were determined by using TUNEL. The protein expression levels of bcl-2, p53 and MDM2 in cancer cells were examined by SP immunohistochemistry. After being treated by various concentrations of curcumin, the growth of cancer cells was inhibited significantly. Some cancer cells presented characteristic morphological changes of apoptosis. The rates of apoptosis were 6.41%-28.48% (P<0.01). The expression of bcl-2 and p53 was decreased, which depended on the action time (P<0.01). There were no obvious changes in MDM2 expression. It was concluded that curcumin could significantly inhibit the growth of ovary cancer cells. The induction of apoptosis by down-regulating the expression of bcl-2 and p53 was probably one of its molecular mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022.
authors.forename: Liduan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Qiangsong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Cuihuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C497206:MDM2 protein, human; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2; D003474:Curcumin