Circular RNAs (
circRNAs) are involved in
cancer development via inhibition of
miRNAs, which are associated with differentiation, proliferation, migration, and carcinogenicity.
Curcumin has
antioxidant and anti-
cancer properties, and it has also been used as a radiosensitizer. In this study, we explored the potential relationships among
curcumin,
circRNAs, and
nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We compared the differences in
circRNA levels in NPC cell lines after
radiotherapy and
after treatment with
curcumin, using a high-throughput microarray. Further, a
circRNA-
miRNA-
mRNA interaction network between radiation resistance NPC cell lines and tumor stem cells was constructed by applying bioinformatics. Finally, it was demonstrated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay and wound healing assay that
curcumin could enhance radiosensitization of NPC cell lines via mediating regulation of
tumor stem-like cells by the "hsa_
circRNA_102115"-"hsa-miR-335-3p"-"MAPK1" interaction network.