These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Curcumin down-regulates Ets-1 and Bcl-2 expression in human endometrial carcinoma HEC-1-A cells.
    Author: Yu Z, Shah DM.
    Journal: Gynecol Oncol; 2007 Sep; 106(3):541-8. PubMed ID: 17590421.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: Curcumin has been demonstrated to have an anti-tumor activity but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully uncovered. The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of curcumin on the expression of the proto-oncogene Ets-1 and the anti-apoptotic molecule Bcl-2 in human endometrial adenocarcinoma HEC-1-A cells. METHODS: Confluent HEC-1-A cells were treated with curcumin at various doses for 16 h or at 60 microM for various time points. At the end of the designated treatments, changes in cell morphology, DNA fragmentation and protein contents of Ets-1 and Bcl-2 were determined, respectively, by light microscopy, DNA laddering assay and Western blot analysis. As an initial step towards understanding whether Ets-1 was a possible up-stream regulator of Bcl-2 expression in HEC-1-A cells and if so, whether curcumin could attenuate the Ets-1-induced up-regulation of Bcl-2 expression, cells were transiently transfected with an Ets-1/GFP (Green Fluorescence Protein) fusion construct and the transfectants were treated with 60 microM curcumin for 16 h, followed by whole cell lysate preparation for Western blot analysis of Bcl-2 protein contents. RESULTS: Curcumin induced apoptosis-like morphological changes and DNA degradation and decreased basal levels of Ets-1 and Bcl-2 protein contents in HEC-1-A cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Overexpression of Ets-1 in the cell resulted in an increase in Bcl-2 protein contents and that increase was attenuated by curcumin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Curcumin down-regulates Ets-1 and Bcl-2 expression and induces apoptosis in HEC-1-A cells, suggesting a novel molecular mechanism for the anti-tumor activity of curcumin.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]