1State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871; Laboratory of Biotechnology and State Key Laboratory of Chinese Ethnic Minority Traditional Medicine, College of Life & Environmental Science, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
2Beijing Geriatric Hospital, Beijing 100095, China

Abstract 

Objective Curcumin is extracted from the turmeric plant Curcuma longa Linn.) and is widely used as a food additive and traditional medicine. The present study investigated the activity of curcumin against staurosporine (STS)
toxicity in cell culture. Methods Rat hippocampal neurons in primary culture were exposed to STS (20 μmol/L) and treated with curcumin (20 μmol/L). Cell viability was tested by MTT assay and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured using the MitoSOX™ red mitochondrial superoxide indicator. Western blot was used to assess changes in the levels of caspase-3 (Csp3), heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and Akt. ResultsThe results showed that curcumin protects against STS-induced cytotoxicity in rat hippocampal neurons. Csp3, Hsp70, Akt and ROS activation may be involved in this protection. Conclusion Curcumin could be a potential drug for combination with STS in cancer treatment to reduce the unwanted cytotoxicity of STS.

Keywords

curcumin; staurosporine-induced cytotoxicity; hippocampal neurons; caspase-3; Akt; Hsp70; reactive oxygen species; cancer treatment

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