Regular Article
Mechanisms of Curcumin-Induced Apoptosis of Ehrlich's Ascites Carcinoma Cells☆

https://doi.org/10.1006/bbrc.2001.5823Get rights and content

Abstract

Curcumin, the active ingredient from the spice turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn), is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. It has been recently demonstrated to possess discrete chemopreventive activities. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying such anticancer properties of curcumin still remain unrealized, although it has been postulated that induction of apoptosis in cancer cells might be a probable explanation. In the current study, curcumin was found to decrease the Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) cell number by the induction of apoptosis in the tumor cells as evident from flow-cytometric analysis of cell cycle phase distribution of nuclear DNA and oligonucleosomal fragmentation. Probing further into the molecular signals leading to apoptosis of EAC cells, we observed that curcumin is causing tumor cell death by the up-regulation of the proto-oncoprotein Bax, release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria, and activation of caspase-3. The status of Bcl-2 remains unchanged in EAC, which would signify that curcumin is bypassing the Bcl-2 checkpoint and overriding its protective effect on apoptosis.

References (34)

  • Z.N. Oltvai et al.

    Checkpoints of dueling dimers foil death wishes

    Cell

    (1994)
  • M.T. Huang et al.

    Inhibitory effects of curcumin on tumorigenesis in mice

    Biochem. Suppl.

    (1997)
  • M.A. Mukundan et al.

    Effect of turmeric and curcumin on B(α)P-DNA binding

    Carcinogenesis

    (1993)
  • T. Kawamori et al.

    Chemopreventive effect of curcumin, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agent, during the promotion/progression stages of colon cancer

    Cancer Res.

    (1999)
  • M. Huang et al.

    Inhibitory effects of curcumin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and ferulic acid on tumour promotion in mouse skin by 12–0-tetradecanylphorbol-3-acetate

    Cancer Res.

    (1988)
  • N. Sreejayan et al.

    Free radical scavenging activity of curcuminoids

    Arzneimittelforschung

    (1996)

    • Cited by (0)

    ☆

    Abbreviations used: Cur, Curcumin; DAPI, 4′6′-diamidino-2-phenylindole; EAC, Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma; FACS, fluorescence-activated cell sorter; FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate; PI, propidium iodide.

    1

    To whom correspondence and reprint requests may be addressed at Animal Physiology Section, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII M, Kolkata 700 054, India. Fax: 91 (33) 334-3886. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected].

    View full text
    Copyright © 2001 Academic Press. All rights reserved.