title: Curcumin induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells and inhibits tumor growth in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Curcumin has shown therapeutic and/or adjuvant therapeutic effects on the treatment of some patients with breast cancer. However, its mechanisms of action are largely unknown. This study was designed to investigate its antitumor effect and underlying mechanisms in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. The MTT assay was used to evaluate cell viability, and flow cytometry, acridine orange staining and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect apoptosis for cultured cells. The protein expression in cells was evaluated by western blot analysis. Breast tumors were established by subcutaneous injection of MDA-MB-231 cells in nude BALB/c mice, and curcumin was administered to the mice. The size of tumors was monitored and the weight of tumors was examined. The exposure of breast cancer cells to curcumin resulted in growth inhibition and the induction of apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. We also found that the expression of Bcl-2 protein decreased and the expression of Bax protein increased which lead to an increase of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. In mice bearing MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumors, administration of curcumin showed a significant decrease of tumor volumes and tumor weight compared with the control. Our results showed that curcumin exhibited antitumor effects in breast cancer cells with an induction of apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao 266003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Dong
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao 266003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Chifeng University Chifeng 024000, Inner Mongolia, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao 266003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao 266003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fu-Nian
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao 266003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hai-Bo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University Qingdao 266003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: Curcumin; apoptosis; breast carcinoma; nude mice