Table 2.
Evaluation by gene expression profiling of the molecular targets of curcumin in cancer cells.
| Platform | Biological System | Results | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oligonucleotide arrays | human K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line | Regulation of cell cycle, JAK-STAT signaling pathway and heat shock related genes by curcumin in TNF-treated K562 cells. | [27] |
| Oligonucleotide arrays | human BxPC-3 pancreatic carcinoma cell line | Curcumin alters miRNA expression in human pancreatic cells by up-regulating miRNA-22 and down-regulating miRNA-199a*. | [28] |
| Superarray | human SK-N-MC neuroblastoma cell line | Curcumin is a potent radiosensitizer that inhibits growth of human neuroblastoma cells and downregulates radiation-induced pro-survival factors implicating NF-kB transcription factor. | [29] |
| Affymetrix | human MDA-MB-231 estrogen-negative breast cancer cell line | Curcumin is able to downregulate the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines CXCL1 and -2 in breast cancer implicating NF-κB transcription factor. | [30] |
| cDNA arrays | human CL 1-5 lung adenocarcinoma cell line | Curcumin supresses cancer cell proliferation and invasion in lung carcinoma cells by downregulating the expression of MT1-MMP, NCAM, TOPO-I TOPO- II and AXL and the activity of MMP2 and NF-κB. Additionally expression of different HSP family members was induced by curcumin. | [31] |
| cDNA arrays | human SW620 and Caco-2 colon adenocarcinoma cell lines | Curcumin induces a G2-M cell cycle arrest in epithelial colorectal carcinoma by modulating genes implicated in cell cycle progression | [32] |
| Affymetrix | wild-type C57BL/6J mice, Nrf2 knockout C57BL/6J/Nrf2(-/-) mice | Novel curcumin-regulated Nrf2-dependent genes implicated in the chemopreventive effects of curcumin in mice liver and intestine were identified. These genes are implicated in ubiquitination, proteolysis, electron transport, detoxification, transport, apoptosis, cell cycle, cell adhesion as well as kinase/phosphatase and transcription factor activity. | [33] |
| Affymetrix | human MDA-1986 oral squamous carcinoma cell line | Several putative, novel molecular targets of curcumin were identified, amongst which ATF3, a contributor to the proapoptotic effects of this compound. | [34] |
| Illumina | human HF4.9 follicular lymphoma cell line | Curcumin is able to downregulate CXCR4 and CD20 in follicular lymphoma cells. These genes play an important role in pathogenesis of follicular lymphoma. | [35] |
| cDNA arrays | human RKO adenocarcinoma cell line | Curcumin downregulates p53 target genes at the RNA level. This effect is mediated by disrupting the native conformation of wild-type p53 protein. | [36] |
| cDNA arrays | human HT29 colon adenocarcinoma cell line | Confirmation of the known effects of curcumin as cell cycle arrest in G2/M arrest and induction of phase-II genes). Extension of the existing knowledge on these physiological effects and detection of new mechanistic impact such as its effects on tubulin genes and the differential expression of p16(INK4), p53 and RB1. | [37] |
| Affymetrix | rat C6 glioma cell line | Four primary pathways are targeted by curcumin in neuroglial cells, including oxydative stress, cell cycle control, DNA transcription and metabolism. Additionally new target genes related to oxidative stress as well as cell cycle control were identified. | [38] |
| Affymetrix, Superarray | human LNCap androgen-responsive prostate adenocarcinoma cell line, human C42B androgen non-responsive prostate adenocarcinoma cell line (derived from LNCap cell line) | Oxidative stress response was identified as the major pathway involved in curcumin induced biological responses in prostate cancer cells. Additionally curcumin suppresses androgen receptor in androgen responsive and refractory cells. | [39] |