title: Curcumin inhibits hypoxia inducible factor‑1α‑induced epithelial‑mesenchymal transition in HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority of liver cancers. A hypoxic microenvironment is a common feature of HCC, and is associated with malignant invasion, metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) changes. Curcumin is a botanical agent derived from the dried rhizome of Curcuma longa. Although a number of preclinical studies have shown that curcumin has anticancer properties when administered in a normoxic microenvironment, no studies have directly examined the effect of curcumin on preventing HCC invasion and metastasis under hypoxic conditions. This study aimed to determine whether curcumin has effects on the hypoxia-induced malignant biological behavior of HCC. CoCl2 was used to establish a hypoxia model in vitro. The results showed that curcumin significantly decreased hypoxia-induced hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) protein level in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness, as well as EMT changes associated with HIF-1α accumulation generated by a hypoxic microenvironment, were eliminated by curcumin. In conclusion, these data indicate that curcumin may be a viable anticancer agent in the treatment of HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wanxing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Xi'an No. 4 Hospital, Affiliated Guangren Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yuanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qinhong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Xi'an No. 4 Hospital, Affiliated Guangren Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Caiqiao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Xi'an No. 4 Hospital, Affiliated Guangren Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Xi'an No. 4 Hospital, Affiliated Guangren Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yanzhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qingyong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xuqi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000502:physiology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C513384:CDH1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014746:Vimentin; D003474:Curcumin