Curcumin inhibits hypoxia-induced angiogenesis via down-regulation of HIF-1.
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) has a central role in cellular responses to hypoxia, including the transcriptional activation of a number of genes involved in angiogenesis in tumors. We found that curcumin, a natural, biologically active compound isolated from the commonly used spice turmeric, significantly decreases hypoxia-induced HIF-1alpha protein levels in HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Moreover, curcumin suppressed the transcriptional activity of HIF-1 under hypoxia, leading to a decrease in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major HIF-1 target angiogenic factor. Curcumin also blocked hypoxia-stimulated angiogenesis in vitro and down-regulated HIF-1alpha and VEGF expression in vascular endothelial cells. These findings suggest that curcumin may play pivotal roles in tumor suppression via the inhibition of HIF-1alpha-mediated angiogenesis.
Bae
Moon-Kyoung
MK
College of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Busan 602-739, Korea.
Kim
Se-Hee
SH
Jeong
Joo-Won
JW
Lee
You Mie
YM
Kim
Hae-Sun
HS
Kim
Su-Ryun
SR
Yun
Il
I
Bae
Soo-Kyung
SK
Kim
Kyu-Won
KW