title: Antifibrotic effect of curcumin in TGF-β 1-induced myofibroblasts from human oral mucosa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Myofibroblasts play an important role in the development of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). In the current study, we investigate the effect of curcumin on growth and apoptosis of myofibroblasts derived from human oral mucosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Myofibroblasts were generated by incubating fibroblasts, obtained from human oral mucosa, with transforming growth factor-β 1 (TGF-β 1). MTT, PI staining, and FACS assays were used to investigate curcumin's effect on proliferation and cell cycle of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Annexin V/PI binding and FACS assays were used to examine apoptosis of myofibroblasts, Western blotting to determine the levels of Bcl-2 and Bax, and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay was employed to examine the levels of collagen type I and III in the supernatants of myofibroblasts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Curcumin inhibits proliferation of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts; it also disturbs the cell cycle, induces apoptosis and decreases the generation of collagen type I and III in myofibroblasts, which are more sensitive to its effects than fibroblasts. Curcumin induces apoptosis in myofibroblasts by down-regulating the Bcl-2/ Bax ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate the antifibrotic effect of curcumin in vitro. It may therefore be a candidate for the treatment of OSF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Shan-Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhao-Jian
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Wen-Hui
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tian-You
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D058628:Myofibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009914:Oral Submucous Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; C494826:BAX protein, human; D024042:Collagen Type I; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D003474:Curcumin