title: Curcumin sensitizes chemotherapeutic drugs via modulation of PKC, telomerase, NF-kappaB and HDAC in breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several tumor markers are overexpressed in breast cancer. Chemotherapy in breast cancer fails due to resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. A phytochemical such as curcumin can be used in a therapeutic modality as it elicits anti-tumor effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Action of curcumin on the expression of several tumor markers, such as protein kinase C, telomerase, NF-kappaB and histone deacetylase in MCF-7 (ER positive), MDA-MB-231 (ER negative), MCF- 12F (control) and also in mice mammary tumors were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Curcumin downregulated the expression of tumor markers both in vitro and in vivo and sensitized tumor cells to the chemotherapeutic drugs cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Curcumin may be of considerable value in synergistic therapy of cancer such that the drug dose level could be minimized reducing the associated toxicity.
authors: Department of Environmental Carcinogenesis & Toxicology, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, 37, S P Mukherjee Road, Kolkata 700 026, India. mitacnci@yahoo.co.in
authors: Madhumita
authors: M
authors: Royt
authors: Sutapa
authors: S
authors: Mukherjee
authors: Ruma
authors: R
authors: Sarkar
authors: Jaydip
authors: J
authors: Biswas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000235:genetics; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016328:NF-kappa B; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D019098:Telomerase; D006655:Histone Deacetylases; D003474:Curcumin; D017239:Paclitaxel