Inhibitory effects and molecular mechanisms of tetrahydrocurcumin against human breast cancer
MCF-7 cells
Sammanfattning
Background: Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), an active metabolite of curcumin, has been reported to
have similar biological effects to curcumin, but the mechanism of the antitumor activity of THC is still
unclear.
Methods: The present study was to investigate the antitumor effects and mechanism of THC in human
breast cancer MCF-7 cells using the methods of MTT assay, LDH assay, flow cytometry analysis,
and western blot assay.
Results: THC was found to have markedly cytotoxic effect and antiproliferative activity against MCF-7
cells in a dose-dependent manner with the IC50 for 24 h of 107.8 µM. Flow cytometry analysis
revealed that THC mediated the cell-cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, and 32.8% of MCF-7 cells entered
the early phase of apoptosis at 100 µM for 24 h. THC also dose-dependently led to apoptosis in
MCF-7 cells via the mitochondrial pathway, as evidenced by the activation of caspase-3 and
caspase-9, the elevation of intracellular ROS, a decrease in Bcl-2 and PARP expression, and an
increase in Bax expression. Meanwhile, cytochrome C was released to cytosol and the loss of
mitochondria membrane potential (??m) was observed after THC treatment.
Conclusion: THC is an excellent source of chemopreventive agents in the treatment of breast cancer
and has excellent potential to be explored as antitumor precursor compound.