Curcumin suppresses cell proliferation through inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in medulloblastoma

Oncol Rep. 2014 Jul;32(1):173-80. doi: 10.3892/or.2014.3206. Epub 2014 May 22.

Abstract

Recently, the survival rate of medulloblastoma patients has greatly improved; yet, patients undergoing current treatment regimes suffer from serious therapy-related side-effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anticancer effects of curcumin on medulloblastoma cells by testing its capacity to suppress proliferation and regulate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In the present study, cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay. Cell cycle was observed by flow cytometry. The changes in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway were analyzed by immunofluorescence, western blot analysis and RT-PCR. Curcumin treatment resulted in a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of proliferation in the medulloblastoma cell line. Curcumin treatment arrested the cell-cycle at the G2/M phase. Furthermore, curcumin treatment led to activation of GSK-3β, reduced expression of β-catenin and its downstream target cyclin D1. The attenuation of the Wnt/β‑catenin pathway was due to the loss of nuclear β-catenin. In conclusion, curcumin can inhibit cell growth by suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and it has the potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent for medulloblastoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / pathology
  • Curcumin / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Medulloblastoma / drug therapy*
  • Medulloblastoma / pathology
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / drug effects*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Curcumin