Curcumin causes DNA damage and affects associated protein expression in HeLa human cervical cancer cells.

Abstract

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide and it is a prominent cause of cancer mortality. Curcumin is one of the major compounds from Turmeric and has been shown to induce cytotoxic cell death in human cervical cancer cells. However, there is no study to show curcumin induced DNA damage action via the effect on the DNA damage and repair protein in cervical cancer cells in detail. In this study, we investigated whether or not curcumin induced cell death via DNA damage, chromatin condensation in human cervical cancer HeLa cells by using comet assay and DAPI staining, respectively, we found that curcumin induced cell death through the induction of DNA damage, and chromatin condensation. Western blotting and confocal laser microscopy examination were used to examine the effects of curcumin on protein expression associated with DNA damage, repair and translocation of proteins. We found that curcumin at 13 µM increased the protein levels associated with DNA damage and repair, such as O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase, early-onset breast cancer 1 (BRCA1), mediator of DNA damage checkpoint 1, p-p53 and p-H2A.XSer140 in HeLa cells. Results from confocal laser systems microscopy indicated that curcumin increased the translocation of p-p53 and p-H2A.XSer140 from cytosol to nuclei in HeLa cells. In conclusion, curcumin induced cell death in HeLa cells via induction of DNA damage, and chromatin condensation in vitro.

• Authors: Hung-Sheng Shang, Chuan-Hsun Chang, Yu-Ru Chou, Ming-Yang Yeh, Man-Kuan Au, Hsu-Feng Lu, Yung-Lin Chu, Hsiao-Min Chou, Hsiu-Chen Chou, Yung-Luen Shih, Jing-Gung Chung
• Journal: Oncology reports (Oncol Rep) Vol. 36 Issue 4 Pg. 2207-15 (Oct 2016) ISSN: 1791-2431 [Electronic] Greece
• PMID: 27499229 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• BRCA1 Protein
• Chromatin
• Neoplasm Proteins
• TP53 protein, human
• Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
• O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase
• Curcumin

Topics

• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• BRCA1 Protein (genetics)
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Chromatin (genetics)
• Curcumin (administration & dosage)
• DNA Damage (drug effects)
• DNA Repair (drug effects)
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic (drug effects)
• HeLa Cells
• Humans
• Neoplasm Proteins (biosynthesis, genetics)
• O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase (genetics)
• Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 (genetics)
• Uterine Cervical Neoplasms (drug therapy, genetics, pathology)