title: Curcumin Sensitizes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Radiation via Suppression of Radiation-Induced NF-κB Activity.
abstract: The effects and possible underlying mechanism of curcumin combined with radiation in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in vitro were evaluated. The effects of curcumin, radiation, and combination of both on cell viability, apoptosis, NF-κB activation, and expressions of NF-κB downstream effector proteins were investigated with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), NF-κB reporter gene, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), electrophoretic mobility shift (EMSA), and Western blot assays in Huh7-NF-κB-luc2, Hep3B, and HepG2 cells. Effect of I kappa B alpha mutant (IκBαM) vector, a specific inhibitor of NF-κB activation, on radiation-induced loss of MMP was also evaluated. Results show that curcumin not only significantly enhances radiation-induced cytotoxicity and depletion of MMP but inhibits radiation-induced NF-κB activity and expressions of NF-κB downstream proteins in HCC cells. IκBαM vector also shows similar effects. In conclusion, we suggest that curcumin augments anticancer effects of radiation via the suppression of NF-κB activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan ; Department of Medical Imaging, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fei-Ting
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan ; Department of Radiation Oncology, National Yang-Ming University Hospital, Yilan 260, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Chang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Yang-Ming University Hospital, Yilan 260, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsu-Te
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jeng-Jong
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D051379:Mice; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000606204:NFKBIA protein, human; C000606205:Nfkbia protein, mouse; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D003474:Curcumin