OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of curcumin on release of cytochrome c and expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, Bad, Bcl-xL, caspase-3, poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), and survivin of HT-29 cells.

METHODSHT-29 cells were treated with curcumin (0 approximately 80 micromol/L) for 24 h. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria and the apoptosis-related proteins Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bad, caspase-3, PARP, and survivin were determined by Western blot analysis and their mRNA expressions by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSCurcumin significantly induced the growth inhibition and apoptosis of HT-29 cells. A decrease in expressions of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and survivin was observed after exposure to 10 approximately 80 micromol/L curcumin, while the levels of Bax and Bad increased in the curcumin-treated cells. Curcumin also induced the release of cytochrome c, the activation of caspase-3, and the cleavage of PARP in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that curcumin induced the HT-29 cell apoptosis possibly via the mitochondria-mediated pathway.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Nucleus ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Cytochromes c ; secretion ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; drug effects ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; Mitochondria ; physiology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics ; bcl-X Protein ; genetics