ABSTRACT
Background: Curcumin, extracted from turmeric, represents enormous potential to serve as an anticancer agent. Telomerase is viewed as a prominent molecular target of curcumin, and transforming growth factor- beta 1 [TGF beta 1] has proven to be a major inhibitory signaling pathway for telomerase activity. In the current study, we aimed to explore suppressive effects of nanocurcumin on telomerase expression through TGF beta 1 pathway in a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line [Huh7]
Methods: MTT assay was used to determine the effect of nonocurcumin on viability of Huh7 cells. RT-PCR was used to analyze the gene expression patterns
Results: MTT assay revealed that nanocurcumin acts in a dose- and time-dependent manner to diminish the cell viability. RT-PCR analysis indicated that nanocurcumin results in augmentation of TGF beta 1 72 hours post treatment and leads to the reduction of telomerase expression 48 and 72 hours post exposure. Also, up-regulation of Smad3 and E2F1 and down-regulation of Smad7 confirmed the effect of nanocurcumin on intermediate components of TGF beta 1 pathway. Furthermore, transfection of the proximal promoter of telomerase triggered a significant reduction in luciferase activity
Conclusion: The data from the present study lead us to develop a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying nanocurcumin-mediated regulation of telomerase expression, thereby presenting a new perspective to the landscape of using nanocurcumin as a cancer-oriented therapeutic agent