Int J Oral Biol.  2015 Jun;40(2):63-69. 10.11620/IJOB.2015.40.2.063.

Apoptotic Activity of Curcumin and EF-24 in HTB-41 Human Salivary Gland Epidermoid Carcinoma Cells

Affiliations
  • 1Oral Biology Research Institute, Chosun University School of Dentistry, Gwangju 501-759, Republic of Korea. kdk@chosun.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Dental Hygiene, Gwangju Health University, Gwangju 506-701, Republic of Korea.
  • 3Department of Oral Anatomy, Dankook University School of Dentistry, Cheonan 330-714, Republic of Korea.

Abstract

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a constituent of turmeric powder derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has been shown to inhibit the growth of various types of cancer cells by regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis. However, a need exists to design more effective analogs because of curcumin's poor intestinal absorption. EF-24 (diphenyl difluoroketone), the monoketone analog of curcumin, has shown good efficacy in anticancer screens. However, the effects of curcumin and EF-24 on salivary gland epidermoid carcinoma cells are not clearly established. The main goal of this study was to investigate the effects of curcumin and EF-24 on cell growth and induction of apoptosis in human salivary gland epidermoid carcinoma cells. Our studies showed that curcumin and EF-24 inhibited the growth of HTB-41 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and the potency of EF-24 was > 34-fold that of curcumin. Treatment with curcumin or EF-24 resulted in nuclear condensation and fragmentation in HTB-41 cells, whereas the control HTB-41 cell nuclei retained their normal regular and oval shape. Curcumin and EF-24 promoted proteolytic cleavages of procaspase-3/-7/-9, resulting in an increase in the amount of cleaved caspase-3/-7/-9 in the HTB-41 cells. Caspase-3 and -7 activities were detected in viable HTB-41 cells treated with curcumin or EF-24. These results suggest that the curcumin and EF-24 inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in HTB-41 human salivary gland epidermoid carcinoma cells, and that they may have potential properties as an anti-cancer drug therapy.

Keyword

EF-24; curcumin; cell death; apoptosis; salivary gland epidermoid carcinoma cells

MeSH Terms

Apoptosis
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell*
Caspase 3
Cell Death
Cell Nucleus
Cell Proliferation
Curcuma
Curcumin*
Drug Therapy
Humans
Intestinal Absorption
Rhizome
Salivary Glands*
Caspase 3
Curcumin
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