title: Curcumin enhanced adriamycin-induced human liver-derived Hepatoma G2 cell death through activation of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and autophagy.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cancer killer in the world. Adriamycin (ADM) is a widely used anti-cancer drug. However, the efficacy is low since high dose of ADM causes toxicity to normal tissues. Curcumin, derived from turmeric (Curcumin longa), has shown its therapeutic potential against HCC. Here, we aim to investigate the effects of curcumin combined with ADM on human liver-derived Hepatoma G2 (HepG2) cell death. We found that combination treatment of curcumin with ADM significantly decreased the number of viable cells as compared to single agent treatment. Hoechst staining demonstrated that apoptotic cell death occurred upon curcumin and ADM treatment. The decreased Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio and the activation of caspase-3 were also detected. In addition, curcumin plus ADM led to mitochondrial fragmentation, the reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as the activation of autophagy. These findings suggest the combined treatment of curcumin with ADM might be an optional chemotherapeutic method for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Institute of Micro-Invasive Surgery of Zhejiang University, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, PR China.
authors.forename: Haoran
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xianfa
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004357:Drug Synergism; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D004317:Doxorubicin; D053148:Caspase 3; D003474:Curcumin