Effect Of Curcumin On The Drug-Resistance In MCF-7/DOX Cells And Its Mechanism

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of cytotoxicity and drug resistance by curcumin and its mechanism in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7/DOX, and provide the experimental basis for the clinical application of curcumin.Methods1 Establish the doxorubicin-resistance MCF-7/DOX cell line by cultivate the MCF-7 cell line with gradually increasing concentration of doxorubicin in vitro.2 The suppression of cell growth of cells with doxorubicin, curcumin, doxorubicin combined with curcumin were evaluated by MTS assay. The concentrations of doxorubicin in cells were detected by flow cytometic (FCM) analysis.3 The expressions of MDR1 were tested by RT-PCR and western blot. The methylation status of the MDR1 gene was analyzed by BSP.Results1 MTS assay showed that curcumin can inhibit cell growth, sensitize cells to doxorubicin than controls.2 RT-PCR showed the mRNA of MDR1 were upregulated by curcumin. Western blot showed that curcumin upregulated the expression of MDR1. FCM analysis confirmed that the concentration of doxorubicin increased after treated with curcumin. BSP showed the promoter of the MDR1 (-251-+780) exhibited a hypomethylation.ConclusionCurcumin inhibit cancer cells growth, reduce doxorubicin resistance of cells, and promote MDR1 expression.