Curcumin inhibits superoxide dismutase-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway in pancreatic cancer cells

  • Authors:
    • Wei Li
    • Zhengdong Jiang
    • Xue Xiao
    • Zheng Wang
    • Zheng Wu
    • Qingyong Ma
    • Lei Cao
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: March 1, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2018.4295
  • Pages: 1593-1602
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Abstract

Curcumin is a natural polyphenol compound derived from turmeric. It possesses multiple pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor progression properties. Our recent study demonstrated that superoxide dismutase (SOD)-dependent production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) promoted the invasive and migratory activity of pancreatic cancer cells. However, whether curcumin suppresses SOD-induced cancer progression and the related mechanisms remains unclear. Since epithelial‑to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a key role in tumor metastasis, the aim of the present study was to examine whether curcumin intervenes with SOD-induced EMT in pancreatic cancer and the underlying mechanism. The human pancreatic cancer cells BxPC-3 and Panc-1 were exposed to SOD in the presence or absence of curcumin, catalase (CAT, a scavenger of H2O2), or LY 294002 [a phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor]. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and H2O2 were evaluated by 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorecein diacetate and H2O2 assay, respectively. The activation of p-Akt and p-nuclear factor (NF)-κB were examined by western blotting. The migratory and invasive abilities of pancreatic cancer cells were tested by the wound healing and Transwell invasion assays. The expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin and vimentin (EMT-related genes) were measured by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting at the mRNA and protein levels, respectively. The findings of the present study demonstrated that curcumin decreased SOD-induced production of ROS and H2O2 in BxPC-3 and Panc-1 cells. Curcumin was able to suppress SOD-induced invasion and migration, and it also regulated the expression of the above‑mentioned EMT-related genes and cell morphology. SOD-induced cell invasion was also inhibited by catalase and LY 294002. Furthermore, the levels of p-Akt and p-NF-κB caused by SOD could be offset by treatment with curcumin and LY 294002. To summarize, these results demonstrated that curcumin was able to prevent SOD-driven H2O2-induced pancreatic cancer metastasis by blocking the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway. The use of curcumin to inhibit the H2O2/Akt/NF-κB axis may be a promising therapeutic approach to the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.
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May-2018
Volume 52 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Li W, Jiang Z, Xiao X, Wang Z, Wu Z, Ma Q and Cao L: Curcumin inhibits superoxide dismutase-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway in pancreatic cancer cells. Int J Oncol 52: 1593-1602, 2018
APA
Li, W., Jiang, Z., Xiao, X., Wang, Z., Wu, Z., Ma, Q., & Cao, L. (2018). Curcumin inhibits superoxide dismutase-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway in pancreatic cancer cells. International Journal of Oncology, 52, 1593-1602. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2018.4295
MLA
Li, W., Jiang, Z., Xiao, X., Wang, Z., Wu, Z., Ma, Q., Cao, L."Curcumin inhibits superoxide dismutase-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway in pancreatic cancer cells". International Journal of Oncology 52.5 (2018): 1593-1602.
Chicago
Li, W., Jiang, Z., Xiao, X., Wang, Z., Wu, Z., Ma, Q., Cao, L."Curcumin inhibits superoxide dismutase-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway in pancreatic cancer cells". International Journal of Oncology 52, no. 5 (2018): 1593-1602. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2018.4295