Effect of Curcumin on the Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Line HN5

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Curcumin has been isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa. Over the years, it has shown outstanding therapeutic potential in various human disorders including cancers. OBJECTIVE: The curcumin effects on the signaling pathway of apoptosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell line HN5 were studied in this study. METHODS: The cytotoxicity of curcumin on HN5 cells was assessed. In addition, HN5 cells were also treated with curcumin to evaluate its effect on the caspase-8, -9, Bcl-2, Bax, and Stat3 genes expression. RESULTS: The results exhibited that viability of cells reduced following treatment of curcumin in a concentration-dependent manner. Curcumin treatment caused decreased expression of Bcl2, with simultaneous upregulation of the Bax/Bcl2 ratio. Curcumin led to an increase in the caspase-9 expression and no effect on caspase-8. Also, it caused to decrease in Stat3 expression. The induction of the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway of curcumin happened by the modulation in the expression of Bcl2 and Bax genes, resulting in the caspase-9 activation, also curcumin causes the decreasing the expression of the Stat3 in HN-5 cells. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, curcumin showed marked anticancer effects in the HN-5 cell line by modulation of Stat-3; Bax/Bcl 2 expression in vitro. To confirm the effect of curcumin on the studied genes, it is better to study their protein expression in future studies.