Mechanistic Understanding of Curcumin’s Therapeutic Effects in Lung Cancer

Abstract

Lung cancer is among the most common cancers with a high mortality rate worldwide. Despite the significant advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, lung cancer prognoses and survival rates remain poor due to late diagnosis, drug resistance, and adverse effects. Therefore, new intervention therapies, such as the use of natural compounds with decreased toxicities, have been considered in lung cancer therapy. Curcumin, a natural occurring polyphenol derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa) has been studied extensively in recent years for its therapeutic effects. It has been shown that curcumin demonstrates anti-cancer effects in lung cancer through various mechanisms, including inhibition of cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, induction of apoptosis, epigenetic alterations, and regulation of microRNA expression. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that these mechanisms are modulated by multiple molecular targets such as STAT3, EGFR, FOXO3a, TGF-β, eIF2α, COX-2, Bcl-2, PI3KAkt/mTOR, ROS, Fas/FasL, Cdc42, E-cadherin, MMPs, and adiponectin. In addition, limitations, strategies to overcome curcumin bioavailability, and potential side effects as well as clinical trials were also reviewed.

Curcumin suppresses the proliferation and tumorigenicity of Cal27 by modulating cancer‐associated fibroblasts of TSCC

“…Curcumin has been demonstrated to mediate anti-proliferative effect via STAT-3, EGFR, forkhead box O3 (FOXO3a), eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) (Tajuddin, Lajis, Abas, Othman, & Naidu, 2019), whereas whether these molecular targets play an important role in curcumin-mediated phenotype and function change of CAFs needs to be explored.…”

Curcumin-Mediated Apoptotic Cell Death in Papillary Thyroid Cancer and Cancer Stem-Like Cells through Targeting of the JAK/STAT3 Signaling Pathway

“…Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is one of the most studied phytochemicals found in plants Curcuma longa (Linn) and has been shown to possess strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer potential over a range of human cancers [15,16]. In various cancers, curcumin has been shown to inhibit growth and proliferation of cancer cells by targeting various survival pathways, including JAK/STAT3, PI3-kinase/AKT, Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EFGR), and NF-кB [17][18][19][20][21]. In addition, there is attenuation of the transcriptional expression of regulatory proteins associated with programmed cell death or apoptosis.…”

“…In addition, there is attenuation of the transcriptional expression of regulatory proteins associated with programmed cell death or apoptosis. Further, it is also involved in the modulation of aberrant epigenetics mechanisms and the expression of noncoding RNA [20]. Interestingly, a number of studies have shown that curcumin exerts its pharmacological action by targeting JAK/STAT3 signaling [22][23][24].…”

Molecular Mechanisms of the Anti-Cancer Effects of Isothiocyanates from Cruciferous Vegetables in Bladder Cancer

“…There is a general consensus that considering treatment strategies using natural product(s) is important for improving the quality of life and prognosis of cancer patients. In fact, there is a report that curcumin, a natural occurring polyphenol derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa), had anti-cancer effects via suppression of cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in lung cancer cells [9]. The authors also showed that regulation of microRNA expression plays important roles in the curcumin-induced anti-cancer effects [9].…”

“…In fact, there is a report that curcumin, a natural occurring polyphenol derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa), had anti-cancer effects via suppression of cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in lung cancer cells [9]. The authors also showed that regulation of microRNA expression plays important roles in the curcumin-induced anti-cancer effects [9]. Furthermore, Yiqi Huayu Jiedu decoction, which comprises various Chinese herbs and natural compounds, was reported to increase the anti-cancer effects of standard chemotherapy in patients with stage III gastric cancer after radical gastrectomy and improve the quality of life of patients [10].…”