Reports of Biochemistry

Background: The incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is increasing, causing catastrophic health burdens on communities. Curcumin has shown promise as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of colon, colorectal, pancreatic, and esophageal cancers but it has very poor bioavailability. The application of nano-carriers as drug delivery systems increases curcumin's bioavailability. Cyclin D1 is overexpressed in ESCC and curcumin may change its expression.
Methods: In this study, the effect of SinaCurcumin®, a novel nano-micelle product containing 80 mg curcumin, on the growth of KYSE-30 cells and expression of cyclin D1, was investigated. Paclitaxel and Carboplatin served as reference drugs.
Results: Nano-curcumin increased cell cytotoxicity, decreased IC50, and down-regulated of cyclin D1. However, treatment of cells with nano-curcumin might result in multidrug resistance.
Conclusions: Nano-curcumin suppressed proliferation of KYSE-30 cells and expression of cyclin D1 although its use in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents requires further testing.

Background: This study was designed to investigate the effect of nano-curcumin supplementation on pentraxin 3 (PTX3) gene expression and serum level in migraine patients.
Methods: The present study, performed as a clinical trial, included 38 episodic migraine patients in two groups that received either nano-curcumin or placebo over a two-month period. At the start and the end of the study, PTX3 gene expression and serum levels were measured.
Results: After two months of treatment, PTX3 gene expression and serum levels were both significantly less in the nano-curcumin than in the placebo group (P= 0.01 and P< 0.001, respectively). No significant gene expression differences were found between the two groups.
Conclusions: Curcumin may have a potential inhibitory effect on PTX3 gene expression and serum levels in migraine disease and can be considered as an efficient therapy in migraine management.

Background: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) can cause damage to the cochlea. Curcumin and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) are transcription activators that play a crucial role in defence mechanisms against oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of curcuminoid administration on NRF2 expression, in the organ of Corti of cochlea of Rattus norvegicus that were exposed to noise, from the results of the distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) examination.

Methods: We divided 36 rats into six groups including Group 1 (control); Group 2 (noise exposure without curcuminoid administration); Group 3 (noise exposure+curcuminoid dose 100 mg/day for four days); Group 4 (noise exposure+curcuminoid dose 200 mg/day for four days); Group 5 (curcuminoid dose of 100 mg/day for 14 days followed by two days of noise exposure); Group 6 (curcuminoid dose 200 mg/day for 14 days followed by two days of noise exposure). 

Results: Following noise exposure in rats, there was an effect/correlation between NRF2 expression, the SNR values obtained from DPOAE and curcuminoid administration. Conclusions: There was a correlation between curcuminoid administration, NRF2 expression and DPOAE treatment. Following noise exposure in rats (Rattus norvegicus), SNR values obtained from DPOAE showed improved cochlear function.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the sixth most common mouth cancer in the world. The aim of the present study is comparing the effects of using Nanocurcumin, and photodynamic therapy (PDT), alone or together in treatment of OSCC in rats.

Methods: Forty Wister male rats were divided into Control (group 1), 650 nm diode Laser only (group 2), Nanocurcumin alone (group 3), and PDT with a combination of laser with Nanocurcumin (group 4). Then, OSCC in the tongue induced by dimethylbenz anthracene (DMBA). The treatments were evaluated clinically, histopathologically, and immunohistochemically through BCL2 and Caspase-3 genes expression.

Results: Positive control with OSCC displayed significant weight loss, while PDT group gained more than nanocurcumin treated groups as well as laser groups comparing with control positive group.
The histological examination of the tongue in PDT group showed improvement. In laser group, there were partial loss of surface epithelium with various ulcers and dysplasia and partial improvement by this type of treatment. The tongue in the positive control group showed ulcer in the dorsum surface with inflammatory cells, hyperplasia of the mucosa membrane around the ulcer (acanthosis) with increase of dentition, vacuolar degeneration of prickle cell layer and increase mitotic activity of basal cell layer together with dermal proliferation.

Conclusions: Under the condition of the present study, PDT using nanocurcumin photosensitizer was effective in the treatment of OSCC regarding clinical, histological and gene expression of BCL2 and Caspase-3.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most primitive form of liver cancer, which is related to chemo carcinogens such as thioacetamide (TAA) and tissue remodeling molecules such as Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Antioxidants, like curcumin (Cur), can inhibit these factors. In this research, the effect of curcumin on the expression and activity of two MMP enzymes, MMP-14 and MMP-17, which are involved in the carcinogenesis of mice after chronic exposure to thioacetamide, is investigated.

Methods: In this study, 30 mice were divided into six groups and studied for 4 months. The first group, control; the second group, curcumin; the third group, TAA; the fourth group, TAA and curcumin simultaneously; the fifth group, first treated with TAA for 2 months and then curcumin; and finally, the sixth group, first treated with curcumin for 2 months and then TAA. Afterward, the mice were euthanized, and their liver tissues were transferred to the laboratory for analysis of gene and protein expression.

Results: The averages of gene expression were calculated using SigmaPlot software and showed that the expression of MMP-17 and MMP-24 genes and the levels of their proteins were significantly increased by thioacetamide (****p< 0001) compared to the control group. Pathological observations indicated necrosis and dysplastic foci in the TAA group.

Conclusion: Considering the crucial roles of MMPs in various diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma, the regulation of their gene expression and enzymatic activity is significant in preventing tumor progression. Compounds such as thioacetamide and polyphenols like curcumin can modulate the activity of MMP-17 and MMP-24.