[Signal transduction mechanism of curcumin in inhibiting the proliferation of bovine lens epithelial cell induced by recombinant human epidermal growth factor].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the signal transduction mechanism of curcumin in inhibiting the proliferation of bovine lens epithelial cell (LEC) induced by recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF).


METHODS
There were three groups in this experiment, which were normal control group, untreated group and curcumin-treated group. Proliferation of LEC was induced by rhEGF (50 microg/L). The concentration of intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) in LEC was measured with Fura-2/AM by spectrofluorimetry. The contents of intracellular cAMP and cGMP were assayed by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
The [Ca(2+)]i in LEC was obviously increased in the untrated group as compared with that in the normal control group (P<0.01), and the [Ca(2+)](i) in LEC in the curcumin-treated group was highest among three groups (P<0.01). The content of intracellular cAMP in LEC was decreased while the content of intracellular cGMP was obviously increased in the untreated group as compared with those in the normal control group (P<0.01). The content of intracellular cAMP in LEC was higher in the curcumin-treated group than that in the untreated group, while the content of intracellular cGMP was lower than that in the untreated group (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The antiproliferation effects of curcumin on LEC may relate to the regulations of multiple processes of signal transduction.
Hu
Yan-Hong
YH
Research Center of Pathophysiology, Fujian College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350003, China.
Qi
Ming-Xin
MX
Huang
Xiu-Rong
XR
Ma
Lan
L
Yan
Jing
J
Wu
Zheng-Zheng
ZZ
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015398:Signal Transduction
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D003474:Curcumin