Curcumin is a natural compound extracted from the dried rhizomes of Curcuma (curcuma root or zedoary) that exhibits extensive pharmacological effects and low toxicity. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether
curcumin inhibits cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis of
laryngeal cancer through Bcl-2 and
phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/
protein kinase B (Akt), and by upregulating microRNA-15a (miR-15a). It was demonstrated that
curcumin inhibits cell proliferation, and promotes apoptosis and increased
caspase-3 activity of human
laryngeal cancer cells. Furthermore,
curcumin decreased Bcl-2 and PI3K
protein expression, and decreased the phospho (p)-Akt
protein expression of human
laryngeal cancer cells. Furthermore,
curcumin activated miR-15a expression by human
laryngeal cancer cells. Suppression of miR-15a expression reversed the anticancer effect of
curcumin on cell proliferation of human
laryngeal cancer cells and increased Bcl-2 and PI3K/Akt
protein expression in AMC-HN-8 cells treated with 40 µM of
curcumin. The results of the present study suggest that
curcumin inhibits cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis of
laryngeal cancer cells through Bcl-2 and PI3K/Akt, and by upregulating miR-15a.