title: Curcumin inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of human colorectal cancer cells by activating the mitochondria apoptotic pathway.
abstract: Curcumin, a natural plant extract from Curcuma longa, is known for its anti-carcinogenic and chemopreventive effects on a variety of experimental cancer models. In this study, we evaluated the effects of curcumin and elucidated its mechanism in human colorectal carcinoma cells. Cell viability assay showed that curcumin significantly inhibited the growth of LoVo cells. Curcumin treatment induced the apoptosis accompanied by ultra-structural changes and release of lactate dehydrogenase in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment with 0-30 µg/mL curcumin decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential and activated the caspase-3 and caspase-9 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Nuclear and annexin V/PI staining showed that curcumin induced the apoptosis of LoVo cells. FACS analysis revealed that curcumin could induce the cell cycle arrest of LoVo cells at the S phase. Furthermore, western blotting analysis indicated that curcumin induced the release of cytochrome c, a significant increase of Bax and p53 and a marked reduction of Bcl-2 and survivin in LoVo cells. Taken together, our results suggested that curcumin inhibited the growth of LoVo cells by inducing apoptosis through a mitochondria-mediated pathway.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Hebei, 050016, PR China.
authors.forename: Li-da
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Xue-Jie
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Zhi-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Duo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jing-Ze
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000077022:Survivin; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D000077022:Survivin; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9; D003474:Curcumin