title: Early anti-oxidative and anti-proliferative curcumin effects on neuroglioma cells suggest therapeutic targets.
abstract: Curcumin (diferuloyl), from the Indian spice turmeric, reduces oxidative damage and induces apoptosis. Utilizing DNA microarrays, we have demonstrated that a low (5 microM) dose of curcumin added to a mixture of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes (C6 rat glioma cells) in culture for 24 and 48 h significantly modulates gene expression in four primary pathways: oxidative stress, cell cycle control, and DNA transcription and metabolism. Contribution of the pentose phosphate pathway to the pool of NADH upregulates glutathione and activates aldehyde oxidase. We have identified also several new genes, up- or downregulated by curcumin, namely, aldo-keto reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and aldehyde oxidase that protect against oxidative stress. The identification of several new cell cycle control genes, including the apoptosis-related protein (pirin) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and of the neurofilament M protein involved in neurogenesis suggests that curcumin may have applicability in the treatment of a spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, 16 Barker Hall (102 Donner Lab), Berkeley, CA, 94720-3206, USA.
authors.forename: Heena D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Panchal
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vranizan
authors.forename: Chun Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ngai
authors.forename: Paola S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Timiras
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D003474:Curcumin