<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Curcumin is a lipophilic anti-cancer compound extracted from turmeric. Our previous study demonstrated that the curcumin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (Cur-NLC) exhibits superior anti-cancer activity in inhibiting proliferation as well as inducing apoptosis of human HepG2 cells compared to native curcumin. This study aims to unveil the mechanisms underlying the pro-apoptotic effect of Cur-NLC on HepG2 cells. Evidence indicates that low expression of death receptors (DRs) on cancer cell membranes leads to attenuated apoptosis signaling. This study showed that Cur-NLC significantly increased total expression of DR5 protein while simultaneously upregulated cell membrane expression of DR5. Cur-NLC significantly increased caspase-8 and caspase-3 activities, accompanied by increased apoptosis. Furthermore, enhanced apoptosis was inhibited in the presence of a pan-caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK. Therefore, Cur-NLC induced activation of the extrinsic apoptosis pathway <italic>via</italic> modulating the DR5/caspase-8/-3 mediated apoptosis pathway in HepG2 cells, suggesting that Cur-NLC is a promising therapeutic agent or supplement for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.</p></abstract>

Curcumin is a lipophilic anti-cancer compound extracted from turmeric. Our previous study demonstrated that the curcumin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (Cur-NLC) exhibits superior anti-cancer activity in inhibiting proliferation as well as inducing apoptosis of human HepG2 cells compared to native curcumin. This study aims to unveil the mechanisms underlying the pro-apoptotic effect of Cur-NLC on HepG2 cells. Evidence indicates that low expression of death receptors (DRs) on cancer cell membranes leads to attenuated apoptosis signaling. This study showed that Cur-NLC significantly increased total expression of DR5 protein while simultaneously upregulated cell membrane expression of DR5. Cur-NLC significantly increased caspase-8 and caspase-3 activities, accompanied by increased apoptosis. Furthermore, enhanced apoptosis was inhibited in the presence of a pan-caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK. Therefore, Cur-NLC induced activation of the extrinsic apoptosis pathway via modulating the DR5/caspase-8/-3 mediated apoptosis pathway in HepG2 cells, suggesting that Cur-NLC is a promising therapeutic agent or supplement for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Curcumin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier induced apoptosis in human HepG2 cells through activation of the DR5/caspase-mediated extrinsic apoptosis pathway

Acta Pharmaceutica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Curcumin is a lipophilic anti-cancer compound extracted from turmeric. Our previous study demonstrated that the curcumin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier...

Curcumin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier induced apoptosis in human HepG2 cells through activation of the DR5/caspase-mediated extrinsic apoptosis pathway

Published Online: Jan 16, 2020

Page range: 227 - 237

Accepted: Apr 19, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acph-2020-0003

Keywords
curcumin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier, apoptosis, death receptor 5, caspase-8, caspase-3, HepG2 cells

© 2020 Fengling Wang et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Curcumin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier induced apoptosis in human HepG2 cells through activation of the DR5/caspase-mediated extrinsic apoptosis pathway

Published Online: Jan 16, 2020

Page range: 227 - 237

Accepted: Apr 19, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acph-2020-0003

Keywordscurcumin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier, apoptosis, death receptor 5, caspase-8, caspase-3, HepG2 cells

© 2020 Fengling Wang et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
curcumin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier, apoptosis, death receptor 5, caspase-8, caspase-3, HepG2 cells