Curcumin inhibits the growth of liver cancer stem cells through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway

  • Authors:
    • Ji Wang
    • Chunying Wang
    • Gaofeng Bu
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  • Published online on: January 29, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.5805
  • Pages: 3650-3658
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Abstract

Cancer stem cells are considered as a main cause of cancer recurrence. In the present study, the effects of curcumin on the growth of liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) were investigated. The proliferation and apoptosis of LCSCs were assessed by MTT assays and flow cytometry. Changes in the expression of apoptosis‑related proteins were identified by western blotting. The results of the study demonstrated that curcumin treatment inhibited the growth of LCSCs, induced cell apoptosis, as well as regulated the expression of apoptosis‑associated proteins and the release of cytochrome c. Further experiments revealed that treatment with curcumin inhibited that the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3‑kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Treatment with an activator of PI3K/AKT reversed the curcumin‑induced growth inhibition of LCSCs. These results demonstrated that curcumin inhibited the growth of LCSCs through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Thus, the present study suggested that curcumin may be a potentially efficient agent in the treatment of liver cancer.
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April-2018
Volume 15 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

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Spandidos Publications style
Wang J, Wang C and Bu G: Curcumin inhibits the growth of liver cancer stem cells through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway. Exp Ther Med 15: 3650-3658, 2018
APA
Wang, J., Wang, C., & Bu, G. (2018). Curcumin inhibits the growth of liver cancer stem cells through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 15, 3650-3658. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.5805
MLA
Wang, J., Wang, C., Bu, G."Curcumin inhibits the growth of liver cancer stem cells through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 15.4 (2018): 3650-3658.
Chicago
Wang, J., Wang, C., Bu, G."Curcumin inhibits the growth of liver cancer stem cells through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 15, no. 4 (2018): 3650-3658. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.5805