title: Curcumin inhibits intracellular fatty acid synthase and induces apoptosis in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells.
abstract: High levels of fatty acid synthase (FAS) expression have been found in many tumors, including prostate, breast, and ovarian cancers, and inhibition of FAS has been reported to obstruct tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Curcumin is one of the major active ingredients of Curcuma longa, which has been proven to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated the potential activity of curcumin as a FAS inhibitor for chemoprevention of breast cancer. As a result, curcumin induced human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell apoptosis with the half-inhibitory concentration value of 3.63 ± 0.26 µg/ml, and blocked FAS activity, expression and mRNA level in a dose-dependent manner. Curcumin also regulated B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bax and p-Akt protein expression in MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, FAS knockdown showed similar effect as curcumin. All these results suggested that curcumin may induce cell apoptosis via inhibiting FAS.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Huijin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology and Health, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: State Forestry Administration, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan Academy of Bioresource Utilization, Beijing 100102, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiabing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Forestry Administration, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan Academy of Bioresource Utilization, Beijing 100102, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xun
authors.affiliation: State Forestry Administration, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan Academy of Bioresource Utilization, Beijing 100102, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Gaubau Kender (Aletai, Xinjiang) Limited Company, Aletai 836500, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Gaubau Kender (Aletai, Xinjiang) Limited Company, Aletai 836500, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hay Tong
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C494826:BAX protein, human; C000595707:BCL2 protein, human; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases; D003474:Curcumin