Curcumin inhibits MHCC97H liver cancer cells by activating ROS/TLR-4/caspase signaling pathway.
Curcumin can inhibit proliferation of liver cancer cells by inducing apoptosis, but the specific signaling pathways involved are not completely clear. Here, we report that curcumin inhibited proliferation of MHCC97H liver cancer cells by induction of apoptosis in a concentration dependent manner via stimulating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Also, we showed that increased intracellular ROS formation activated the TLR-4/MyD-88 signaling pathway, resulting in activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3, which eventually led to apoptosis in MHCC97H cells. These results showed that as an prooxidant, curcumin exerts anti-cancer effects by inducing apoptosis via the TLR-4/MyD-88 signaling pathway.
Department of Radiology, Heping Hospital of Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China E-mail : li_yu_liang@yeah.net.
Pei-Min
PM
Li
Yu-Liang
YL
Li
Bin
B
Liu
Wu-Jie
WJ
Wang
Yong-Zheng
YZ
Wang
Zheng
Z
Li
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000378:metabolism*
C507779:MYD88 protein, human; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D003474:Curcumin