Exp Mol Med.  2007 Apr;39(2):139-148.

Curcumin reduces cold storage-induced damage in human cardiac myoblasts

• Abuarqoub
• Green CJ
• Foresti R
• Motterlini R

Abstract

Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound possessing interesting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and has the ability to induce the defensive protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). The objective of this study was to investigate whether curcumin protects against cold storage-mediated damage of human adult atrial myoblast cells (Girardi cells) and to assess the potential involvement of HO-1 in this process. Girardi cells were exposed to either normothermic or hypothermic conditions in Celsior preservation solution in the presence or absence of curcumin. HO-1 protein expression and heme oxygenase activity as well as cellular damage were assessed after cold storage or cold storage followed by re-warming. In additional experiments, an inhibitor of heme oxygenase activity (tin protoporphyrin IX, micrometer) or siRNA for HO-1 were used to investigate the participation of HO-1 as a mediator of curcumin- induced effects. Treatment with curcumin produced a marked induction of cardiac HO-1 in normothermic condition but cells were less responsive to the polyphenolic compound at low temperature. Cold storage-induced damage was markedly reduced in the presence of curcumin and HO-1 contributed to some extent to this effect. Thus, curcumin added to Celsior preservation solution effectively prevents the damage caused by cold- storage; this effect involves the protective enzyme HO-1 but also other not yet identified mechanisms.

Keyword

cryopreservation curcumin; cytoprotection; heme oxygenase-1; organ preservation; organ transplantation; oxidative stress

MeSH Terms

Cell Death/drug effects
Cell Survival/drug effects
Cells, Cultured
Cold Temperature
*Cryopreservation
Cryoprotective Agents/pharmacology
Curcumin/*pharmacology
Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic/drug effects
Heme Oxygenase-1/genetics/metabolism
Hemin/pharmacology
Humans
Hydrogen Peroxide/pharmacology
Myoblasts, Cardiac/*drug effects/*pathology
RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism