Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Curcumin suppresses leukemia cell proliferation by down-regulation of P13K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway

Guo Ting, Wu Jin, Ding Ting, Wang Hongxiang, Xu Liwen, Yao Xiaodan

Department of Hematology, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430014, China;

For correspondence:- Yao Xiaodan Email: 14646538@qq.com Tel:+862782211472

Accepted: 20 October 2019 Published: 30 November 2019

Citation: Ting G, Jin W, Ting D, Hongxiang W, Liwen X, Xiaodan Y. Curcumin suppresses leukemia cell proliferation by down-regulation of P13K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. Trop J Pharm Res 2019; 18(11):2293-2298 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v18i11.9

© 2019 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effect of curcumin ester on the proliferation of leukemia cell lines in vitro.

Methods: Changes in WEHI-3 and THP 1 cell viabilities were measured using Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK 8). Analysis of cell cycle and determination of apoptosis were carried out using propidium iodide and Annexin V fluorescein isothiocyanate staining. Transmission electron microscopy was used for observing the presence of apoptotic features in cells.

Results: Treatment with curcumin ester for 72 h caused significant reduction in the proliferation of WEHI-3 and THP 1 cells. Curcumin ester, at a dose of 50 µM, decreased the proliferations of WEHI-3 and THP 1 cells to 28 and 32 %, respectively. On exposure to curcumin ester for 72 h, cell cycle in WEHI-3 cells was arrested in G1/G0 phase. Curcumin ester at doses of 25, 30 and 50 µM enhanced apoptosis in WEHI-3 cells to 46, 58 and 64 %, respectively. Curcumin ester suppressed the levels of phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT) and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein and mRNA in WEHI-3 cells. In curcumin ester-treated WEHI-3 cells, the presence of apop¬totic bodies increased significantly and concentration-dependently.

Conclusion: These results demonstrate that curcumin ester inhibits leukemia cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and arresting cell cycle in G1/G0 phase, probably via suppression of PI3K, AKT and mTOR, and promotion of PTEN. Thus, curcumin ester has potentials for use in the development of an effective treatment strategy for leukemia.

Keywords: Leukemia, Curcumin ester, Differentiation, Apoptosis, Phosphorylation, Rapamycin